Shattered Rose
by BigRedMachineUK
Summary: *CHAP 51 UP* WWF Diva Carmen joins the Alliance as part of an elaborate scheme to take down the faction. With her own ambitions at stake, can she succeed without getting caught in the deadly crossfire? Circa 2001. RVD/OC.
1. Chapter 1

_**A/N: This is a remake of my first story, "A Rose and Its Thorns". I felt it needed serious revamping. I also decided, since it was an Alliance storyline, I would leave it as the WWF. To me it makes the story more authentic. Although I'm writing an Alliance story, I honestly don't remember everything that happened then. I was locked up in a boarding school at the time. So if anyone remembered everything that happened, and it looks like I am mixing up some events in this story, please forgive me. Please read/review! Thanks.**_

_**DISCLAIMER: I own nobody in this story, except for Carmen. The rest of the characters belong to WWE/WWF.**_

Carmen stood in the middle of the ring, hands on her hips, her mouth hanging open in disgust and anger. She watched the big Titantron screen, frowning deeply as Stacy Keibler and Torrie Wilson sauntered into Matt and Jeff Hardy's locker room. Oh no, Carmen groaned inwardly. Ever since the Invasion by WCW and ECW into the WWF, Stacy and Torrie looked for ways to piss off the WWF Divas. But from what this looked like, it seemed that the blonde bimbos were pulling out all the stops with this stunt.

The boys stood up, surprise and suspicion etched upon their handsome features. Carmen raised a brow as the two blonde bimbos started speaking to the Hardys, Stacy taking on Matt and Torrie heading for Jeff. They were moving in closer and closer. She then realized what was about to happen, and she held her breath, shaking her head. Surely Jeff and Matt would push them away before anything happened. The Hardys were too smart for that.

She was so wrong.

The crowd screamed loudly in disbelief as the two Alliance bimbos kissed Matt and Jeff. For a moment both men stood still, not moving an inch. Carmen's mouth widened in disbelief as Matt's lips began to move against Stacy's. Matt was kissing her back!

"Idiots," Carmen muttered, shaking her head. She turned to the women standing alongside her in the ring. Her friend and Team Xtreme teammate, Lita, just stared on, her eyes blazing dangerously, her face as bright as the color of her red hair. She had a right to be utterly pissed, as Matt was her boyfriend, but Carmen suspected that that status would soon change. She had never seen Lita look so mad before. Trish Stratus did not seem as annoyed as Lita, but Carmen knew it was just a front. She wasn't exactly supposed to have romantic ties to Jeff after all. But Carmen knew better, because it was obvious that Trish had a crush on the rainbow-haired Hardy.

Jeff was still standing there, as stiff as a board as Torrie made out with him. Why the hell didn't he push her away? He was fraternizing with the frickin' enemy for Pete's sake. Carmen knew for sure that those bimbos were trying to mess with Trish and Lita's heads, but Matt and Jeff were too busy thinking with their nether regions to realize that.

The bimbos finally let go of Matt and Jeff's lips, and winking at them, they sauntered out of the locker room. Matt and Jeff stared at each other. "What was that?" asked Matt, his expression giddy. Jeff answered, proceeded to dig his grave just a foot deeper by declaring: "Chicks dig us, man."

Before Carmen could react, Trish and Lita had already left the ring and were storming up the ramp towards the back. Carmen got out of the ring and chased after them, very aware that blood was going to be shed in only a matter of seconds. "Girls, wait!" she called out as they marched towards the Alliance divas' locker room like homicidal soldiers. "Look, they just want to get into your heads. Don't let them get to you."

"No, Carmen," Trish spat out, not bothering to look at her as she charged on. "I'm gonna get to them!"

Carmen shook her head, and then tried to reason with Lita. "Lita, come on. Forget those cheapskates, please stop."

Lita didn't even bother replying. Carmen sighed, still trailing them. They approached the door, and Lita and Trish simultaneously drew their feet back and kicked down the door, revealing the two bimbos inside. Lita and Trish immediately charged, but Carmen quickly held them back by their arms, gripping them tightly.

"Let us go, Carmen!" Lita growled fiercely.

"Yeah, Carmen, let them go," Stacy mimicked, "let them get a chance to see what their boys are missing out on." She spread her arms out in an exhibitive manner. Torrie sniggered at the childish statement.

"What's so funny, skank?" Trish spat out, still squirming in Carmen's grasp.

"Who are you calling skank?" Torrie shrieked, and then smiled again, "that's not what Jeff said when he was kissing me."

"Why you little…Carmen!" Trish exclaimed, turning to the Team Xtreme member in frustration.

"No way, they are so not worth it," Carmen argued, trying to pull them back. "Come on, let's get out of here."

Torrie and Stacy sneered at the sight of the two women trying their damnedest to get to them. "You two better take her advice," said Stacy, crossing her arms arrogantly.

"And you," Torrie pointed at Carmen, "put a leash on your cats and get the hell out of our locker room, you shabby little brat."

Lita and Trish gasped simultaneously, and then looked to Carmen incredulously, as if to say, 'Now_ can we kick their asses?'_

An evil smirk formed on Carmen's lips, and not taking her eyes off Stacy and Torrie, she said to Trish and Lita, "Sic 'em."

She released them, and they let out an animalistic cry as they took Stacy and Torrie down to the ground with tackles that only belonged in the NFL. Carmen laughed as Trish pounded Torrie's head repeatedly against the ground and Lita slammed her fist into Stacy's face.

"What the hell is going on here?" a shrill, irritating voice shouted. "And what the hell are _you_ doing here?"

Carmen turned around to see none other than Stephanie McMahon, the co-owner of ECW standing in front of the door. Carmen smirked. There was still a lot of bad blood between the two women, especially after Stephanie had screwed Carmen over during her match for the Women's Championship at Armageddon the previous year.

"You keep your skank bitches away from our turf, and away from our guys!" Carmen said, looking Stephanie square in the eye.

Stephanie replied with a sneer. "You're just mad because they're hotter than you."

Carmen raised her eyebrow with derision. What was this, junior high? "And they're obviously learning from the biggest man-eater on the planet, seeing as their married boss can't keep her hands away from other men herself…" she trailed off meaningfully, reminding Stephanie of her more than friendly liaisons with Rhyno and Rob Van Dam despite being wife to Triple H.

Carmen immediately met a trademark bitch-slap from the Billion Dollar Princess. Her head snapped to the side from the force, the pain stinging, but no way in hell would she show it. She cocked her head back and looked at a huffing and puffing Stephanie. Carmen slowly cracked her neck before focusing on the youngest McMahon, smiling cynically.

"You call that a slap?" she said, "This is a slap."

With that, Carmen drew her hand back and slapped Stephanie so hard, she stumbled backwards. Carmen then shoved her hard against the wall, making her fall to the ground from the collision. As Carmen stood over Stephanie, the brunette grabbed her leg and pulled her down with her to the floor. In a matter of seconds, there were six women rolling on the floor and hitting, kicking and screaming at each other. As Carmen was poised to ram her fist into Stephanie's nose, a pair of strong arms wrapped around her waist and pulled her upwards.

"Okay, break it up people!" said Edge as he placed her over his shoulder. He fled the locker room before any Alliance crony could spot them.

"Lemme at 'em! Put me down!" Carmen hollered, "I'm not done with that bitch!"

"Not done? I think you broke her damn nose!"

Trish and Lita were equally kicking and screaming on Jeff and Matt Hardy's shoulders respectively. They didn't put the girls down until they got into WWF territory. They went into the nearest locker room and closed the door. Once Matt set Lita down, Lita turned around and gave him the biggest shove she could possibly muster.

"You dumbass!" she yelled, shaking with fury, tears spilling down her cheeks. "You're supposed to be my boyfriend!" She shoved him violently out of the way and stormed out of the room. Carmen looked over at Edge and then looked at Trish and Jeff. Uh-oh, she thought, round two coming up.

"Chicks dig you, huh?" Trish said, with her eyebrow raised. Tossing her hair haughtily, she then walked out, leaving Edge, the Hardys and Carmen alone in the tension-filled room. Matt and Jeff looked at Carmen and gulped nervously. She simply rolled her eyes before following the two girls out.

Boys were idiots. Fact.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

**InVasion**

Four months had passed since WrestleMania, and the WCW and ECW had officially invaded WWF territory. The stakes were extremely high as both companies were working together, hell bent on putting the WWF out of business. Every individual wrestler at the WWF had a counterpart, a counterpart who was a deadly threat. The Women's division was no different. Ivory had defected and was quickly becoming an asset to the Alliance. Tonight, the remaining WWF Divas Trish and Lita were taking on Stacy and Torrie in a Bra and Panties Tag Team match, with Carmen and Stephanie McMahon at ringside. The sluts probably went bitching to ECW owner Paul Heyman after they beat them to a pulp on Raw, Carmen figured. It was going to be fun. She wasn't wrestling tonight but she still felt good about tonight. She felt good about being a WWF employee.

Atlanta, Georgia native Carmen debuted on the Raw after SummerSlam 2000 as Lita's decoy. Over subsequent weeks she distracted the likes of Edge, Christian, Trish and T&A by appearing with red hair and orchestrating sneak attacks and costing them matches. She finally revealed herself some weeks later as the fourth member of Team Xtreme. Her wrestling style fit perfectly with the faction, incorporating Matt's brawling abilities and Jeff's high-flying moves with solid technical skill. In a short space of time she showed that she could take on the best and was not afraid to mix it up with the men, as she had proved during the Hardys' feuds with Edge and Christian, as well as the Two-Man Power Trip, Stone Cold Steve Austin and Triple H. While Lita was the Punk Princess, Carmen's style of dressing had a hip-hop flavor about it, and she displayed tight briefs over her baggy pants as opposed to Lita's thongs. Her strawberry-blonde hair was streaked with dark highlights, and/or other colors of her choice, in order to look different from the other blonde ladies such as Trish. Within weeks of her debut fans were taken by her style, as well as her tremendous mic skills, which had been lacking among the females for a while now. Girls walked up to her and stated how much they liked her and wanted to be like her, which flattered her a lot.

But obviously, not everyone was impressed by her, as Torrie and Stacy had clearly pointed out, as well as Stephanie, who had been a thorn in her side ever since she joined the WWF. No matter. They would be dealt with soon enough.

Lita handed Trish the schedule for the evening. "We're up first tonight." She said, taking her ring gear and dressing up quickly.

"Whose idea was this again?" Trish inquired, sounding annoyed. Carmen walked out of the bathroom, wearing a pink, long-sleeved cropped top and baggy forest green pants, with one leg rolled up. Her fists were taped. "Barbie One and Barbie Two," she answered, "remember?"

"I'd like to consider myself to be above bra and panties matches!" Trish complained. "I've been in this company long enough to warrant a proper wrestling match!"

"The point is, they asked for this, right?" Carmen pointed out as she tied up her hair. "I say you two go out there and give them what they want."

"Yeah," Lita said, "the beating of their lives."

"Damn right."

They left the locker room and walked over to the Gorilla Position. They spotted some guys from the Alliance, including the Dudley Boyz and Rob Van Dam. As they walked past, Carmen and Rob Van Dam locked eyes, not for the first time since the Alliance showed up. And as usual he had this look on his face that nearly made her skin crawl. _Can he _not_ stare at me like that? Eww,_ she thought irritably. Shooting him a nasty look, she turned away, but not in time to avoid walking into Torrie Wilson.

"Watch where you're going, bitch!" Torrie snapped, pushing past Carmen and out onto the ramp with Stacy Keibler and Stephanie McMahon as the Alliance music started playing.

Trish glowered at them. "That bitch is mine," she said to Lita before going out to her own music. Carmen turned to look at Lita. "Ready, Red?"

"Ready?" Lita laughed, rubbing her hands with glee. "This will be like a rehearsal. I won't even be warmed up."

The Team Xtreme theme began playing, and they could hear the crowd screaming. They pranced out, throwing the gun signals. Trish stood outside the ring, glaring at the two Alliance women in the ring. Carmen stayed at ringside as Lita and Trish slid into the ring. The Alliance women immediately pounced on them, but Lita and Trish expertly countered, taking them down and delivering right hands. Lita Irish-whipped Stacy onto the corner. Trish picked up Torrie by the hair and sent her flying into Stacy. Lita dropped on all fours for the Poetry in Motion, which Trish executed perfectly. Carmen clapped and cheered them on. Lita went back to her corner, leaving Torrie to Trish. Torrie immediately yanked Trish off her feet and pulled at her shirt with no success. Trish shoved her to the ground and mounted her, punching her continuously. She then grabbed Torrie's pants and pulled them off, tossing them out into the cheering crowd.

She tagged in Lita, who came in and approached Torrie. Torrie looked at Stacy nervously, and tagged her. Horrified, Stacy slapped Torrie's arm, and they went back and forth, trying to tag each other in. Lita rolled her eyes and glanced at Trish, who jumped in eagerly. They both headed for Stacy and Torrie, and grabbing them by the hair, they flipped them unceremoniously into the ring. But Stacy and Torrie countered the move and knocked Lita and Trish to the canvas, and pulled off both their tops. Trish grabbed Torrie back and pulled off her shirt, effectively eliminating Torrie.

Lita knocked Stacy down with a Russian leg-sweep, and pulled off her pants, despite Stacy's struggling. Lita then went up the top rope, but Stephanie snuck up from behind when Mick Foley wasn't looking, and pushed the redhead off, sending her toppling onto the canvas. Carmen jumped into the ring and hurled Stephanie in with gusto. Pulling the Billion Dollar Princess to her feet, she kicked her in the stomach and grabbed her in a headlock. The crowd knew what was coming, and they cheered loudly. She then twisted Stephanie's body around so her head was upside down and her back arched painfully underneath her grasp, like a Twist of Fate, but with the victim in the reverse position. She held her there for a moment, soaking in the fans' reactions. Then, with the headlock still intact, Carmen dropped down in a sitting position, and Stephanie's head bounced off the canvas, knocking her out. It was Karma, one of her signature moves.

The match was one-way traffic, and the gulf in wrestling ability and in-ring experience was clear for all to see. Torrie made to attack Carmen from behind, but Trish intercepted her with a ruthless spear. She piled Torrie on top of a motionless Stephanie. Stacy tried to escape, but Carmen grabbed her and threw her back in. Stacy then tripped and landed on top of Torrie. Lita, still the legal woman, climbed up the top turnbuckle again and delivered a Moon Sault on them all. Lita then finished off the job and took off Stacy's shirt. The bell rang, ending the match.

"Here are your winners: Trish Stratus and Lita!"

Carmen grabbed Lita and Trish's hands and raised them high in the air. They turned to look at the women squirming in the ring in their underwear, before making their way out of the ring.

"Well, that was quick," Carmen commented as they went through the curtain backstage.

"Yeah," Trish said, "not much of a fight they put up either."

"I need a shower," Lita declared, as the three Divas headed towards their locker room.

"I need sleep," said Carmen. "My eyes have got to rest, especially the ones I got in the back of my head."

"We all got eyes in the back of our heads. Do we have a choice, with Alliance people running around?" said Trish.

"Unlike you two I don't have a boyfriend to protect _me_. Lita's got Matt, you got Jeff-"

Lita shut her locker harder than was necessary. She was still not speaking to Matt, and had spent a good deal of the week ignoring his phone calls.

"Jeff is not my boyfriend," Trish told Carmen as she opened the door.

"Good," Lita said harshly to her. "Let's keep it that way."

Trish took her gaze to her feet, rubbing her neck in a vague attempt to stem the awkwardness. Carmen shot a 'that was mean' look at Lita, who pointedly ignored her. What a way to remind them that despite everything they were going through with the Alliance, Lita and Carmen were still not really friends with Trish.

Carmen stopped halfway as she caught the TV monitor in the room. "Shit!" Trish said behind her, watching as well. A replay of the match between Diamond Dallas Page and the Undertaker was showing. Kanyon had interfered in the match and was beating up the Undertaker with a steel chair. Kane rushed into the ring to help his brother, and DDP and Kanyon fled immediately. The live feed went back on, with Kane and Undertaker's wife Sara helping him up the ramp. Curiosity got the better of Carmen. She went out of the locker room for a first-hand glimpse of the action. She got to the trainer's room and saw Taker violently warding off the EMTs as they tried to approach him. "I'm fine!" he barked. "Leave me alone!"

"You're not, Mark!" Sara nearly shrieked in frustration at her husband's stubbornness. She touched his open forehead, which made him wince. "Your head is split open, let them tend to it."

"No!" Taker growled. "Where the fuck is Page? I'll kill that motherfucking pervert."

Kane shook his head and said calmly, "You better do something about your head first."

"What I want," Taker spat, "is Page's head on a fucking platter! How dare he threaten me? I'll kill him. I'll rip what's left of his balls in two and feed them to his fucking lackey Kanyon!"

"Honey, please!" Sara begged, "Get treatment. You'll deal with him later." Taker tried to protest, but Sara held him in place. "Please," she told him softly. The American Badass glanced at his wife, then sat back down grudgingly on the bed and let the trainer attend to his head.

Carmen entered silently. "Is he okay?" she asked Sara, who rolled her eyes. "Does he _look_ okay?" she snapped, slumping against the wall. "I'm sick of that damned DDP! Why can't he leave my family alone and quit putting us through this shit?"

Carmen stared at her, at a loss for words. Just then the Big Show barged into the room. All inside glanced up at him curiously. He seemed to have been running miles. "You're not going to believe this," he said, looking bewildered. He seized the TV remote and switched the TV on.

"Oh no!" Sara breathed, clamping a hand over her mouth. Carmen's eyes narrowed, but not with disbelief. She couldn't say she hadn't seen it coming.

Edge was sprawled face-down in the middle of the ring, his brother Christian standing over him with a steel chair. He slammed the chair again on Edge's back, once, twice, thrice, before tossing it aside and raising his hands over his head. Shane McMahon and Paul Heyman appeared at the top of the ramp, smiling. They casually made their way down, applauding Christian.

"Well done, Christian," Heyman said on the microphone, "and a very warm welcome to the Alliance!" They took Christian's hands and raised them up again, stepping over the limp body of his fallen brother.


	3. Chapter 3

Carmen drove back to the hotel in her rental car, with Edge in the passenger seat. Lita had gone with Jeff, Trish had gone with Matt. Sara went obviously with her husband and Kane. The pay-per-view sucked. She couldn't believe what had gone on tonight. Stone Cold Steve Austin and Christian had defected to the Alliance, Taker had been given a beating and Stephanie McMahon was doing everything she could to bring down the women from the other side. The Alliance was beating down on anybody and anything from the WWF. They were fighting back, but it didn't seem to be enough. They needed the Rock back. They needed Shawn Michaels and Triple H back. But they were not coming back, not yet at least. Everything was just going wrong.

Suddenly the car became too quiet for Carmen's liking. She glanced at Edge. He was facing the window, sitting so still she could swear he was asleep, but there was no way he could be asleep, not after what had just happened. Christian, his own brother had just screwed him and the rest of the WWF over for the Alliance. That was definitely not something worth sleeping over.

"You okay?" she asked him.

Tentative moments passed, and then he spoke. "I've been watching that kid's back ever since he was born," he said, not moving an inch from his position. "The last thing I ever meant to do was make him feel worthless. I did my best not to make it look like a one-man tag team, gave him some of the limelight. I did, Carmen. I don't get it." Edge's voice was choked with sorrow. "Why couldn't he just talk to me if he had problems? We're brothers. We could have handled this like men."

He broke off and pursed his lips hard, determined not to break down in front of Carmen. She bit her lip, unsure of what to say, partly because of the fact that Edge was opening up to her. She wasn't sure it was something she would get used to. Over the years and even just recently, Edge and Christian had been Team Extreme's biggest nemeses. They had been at each other's throats every minute of the day back then. Then the WCW and ECW thing started, and somewhere along the line they collectively decided to put aside their differences in order to save their jobs. Now, she was in a car with Edge, and they were not fighting.

Edge said nothing else. They continued their drive back to the hotel, hardly realizing that things were only just beginning.

---------

It was 12 a.m. Edge escorted Carmen to her hotel room. She opened the door with her key card, and then turned to him. "Thank you."

"No. Thank _you_, for driving me back here; for…listening. I really appreciate it." He stared at the floor, his face slightly pink. Carmen shrugged. "No problem." She hesitated, then put out a hand and rubbed his shoulder. "You'll be fine, Edge. Just be careful, ok?"

The tall man nodded, ensuring she walked in and shut her door before making his way to his empty room. He shut the door and looked around his room. He needed to do his brother one last favor. He would handle things like a man, since Christian was unwilling to do the same.

Ten minutes later, Christian's belongings were strewn all over the hallway outside.

----------

The WWF returned from Invasion with their tails in between their legs. The Alliance reveled in their narrow victory at the Inaugural Brawl. This gave them heaps of confidence, and with confidence came bigger balls and more daring plots. The Alliance tailed the WWF everywhere they went, even going as far as booking rooms in the same hotel as WWF just for the fun of it. One would occasionally spot a muscled body or two being tossed around in the hotel lobby, or being used to test the chlorine level in the pools. Vince McMahon advised everyone to move around in tight-knit groups. You never knew who was lurking around.

----------

_Monday Night Raw_

Despite losing at Invasion, Torrie and Stacy were flaunting themselves about in the ring again and mouthing off about their pay-per-view opponents. Expectedly, Trish, Lita and Carmen interrupted. After a bout of barracking between the two groups, Torrie challenged Trish to an arm wrestling match. Everyone knew Trish was quite excellent at arm wrestling and it looked like Torrie wanted beat Trish at her own game. Trish accepted without hesitation.

The only problem was that Torrie and Stacy had entirely different game in mind.

Right in the middle of the arm wrestling match, with the help of Ivory, Stacy and Torrie ambushed Trish. Carmen and Lita were thrown out of the ring, and Trish's right arm was broken courtesy of a steel chair. The Alliance set a trap, and just as they'd expected, the egotistical WWF Divas had waltzed right into it.

As she watched Trish being tended to by the EMTs, as the Canadian blonde worked hard not to succumb to her tears of pain, Carmen was fuming. This was ridiculous. Those prostitutes had another thing coming if they thought she was going to let them piggyback-ride her out of employment. She had more wrestling ability in her left arm than both of them combined! They were not going to get away with this. She would deal with them soon.

----------

Team Extreme were back at their hotel, grateful that they made it in one piece. It was getting really degrading how the Alliance was kicking their asses left and right. They did it again tonight. Tired of wasting their energy fighting back, the boys planned to drink away their woes in one of the hotel bars. "I gotta drop these first," Carmen said to Lita, holding up her two gym bags. "I'll be right down."

"Sure," Lita told her where they would be in the hotel and left with the brothers. Carmen made her way towards the imaginary WWF line. Yes, there was one, since the Alliance was determined to set up shop at every hotel their rivals were at. The line was no guarantee of safety, but the clear territory put at her somewhat at ease.

"Well, well, what do we have here?"

Hugh Morrus stood in front of her, his chest puffed out. Carmen did not understand why. "Get out of my way, Morrus," she snapped, stepping to the side, in no mood for any shenanigans. Suddenly, a large hand smacked her backside, and she abruptly stopped in her tracks, her mouth popping open in shock as the hand grabbed tighter. She heard chuckling, and she turned around. Right behind her was Sean O'Haire along with Chuck Palumbo, all three men wearing lopsided, lascivious grins, O'Haire's being the biggest. "I have wanted to grab that ass for so long," he commented, the trademark evil smile forming on his lips.

Carmen was livid. She'd had it with these stupid pigs! The Diva marched right up to the big man and slammed her hand into his crotch, causing him to yelp in pain and surprise. "Oh yeah?" she growled, her long fingernails digging into his pants as she fisted him, "How do you like that, motherfucker? How do you like that?"

O'Haire's knees buckled, his eyes were now bulging out of his sockets. People were now staring at them, and he felt downright embarrassed. He hurriedly muttered something hoarsely in his pain. "What was that?" Carmen said, her face menacingly close to his, tightening her hold on him.

"Let go, man, I'm sorry," he whimpered, trying desperately to pry her hand off him. She flashed him a cynical smile. "I thought so." She finally let go, and he collapsed against the ground wheezing in pain. "Touch me again and I'll break your fucking dick!"

Hugh shoved her shoulder hard. "Can't take a joke no more, bitch?"

Palumbo sneered, advancing towards her. "Maybe we should teach her some manners."

He put his hand on her shoulder. Carmen blocked his arm expertly with one hand. With the other hand she brought one of her bags into Palumbo's face in a vicious swipe. "How's that for manners, asshole?" she snarled. Just one of these guys weighed twice as much as she did, but no one bullied Carmen. She wasn't going to let their insolence fly at all.

But she wasn't dumb either. One look at all their faces was enough to take off running, and she wisely did. Hugh grabbed at her, but she dodged him and fled. All three bounded after her like rabid dogs. Her bags suddenly weighed her down, and she hastily threw them over her shoulder. Her eyes scanned the elevators. One was starting to shut. She ran into it, rapidly pressing the number of her floor. "Come on! Come on!" she urged with gritted teeth as her pursuers were incoming fast.

The elevator shut right before they reached it. She tapped her foot rapidly, willing the thing to move faster. She could swear they were coming for her through the stairs. As soon as the elevator opened she flew out, not slowing down until she entered her room. She slammed the door shut and slumped against it. This shit was getting out of hand. She _had_ to do something about this.

But what?


	4. Chapter 4

Carmen had barely sat down on the bed when the door knocked. She waited a beat, just in case it was still Hugh Morrus and co. But the knock was soft, not urgent as the way a pursuer would have. She finally went to answer it, snatching the empty vase off the table as a precaution. It was probably Lita, but she could never be too careful.

She was surprised to find Sara standing there. She lowered the vase to her side. "Sara," she said. But the look on the other woman's face was serious. "Come with me, Carmen," Sara said to her. She led her out of her room and down the hallway. Carmen looked at her curiously. "Uh, what's going on, Sara? Where are you taking me?"

"You'll see," was her only answer, her features giving nothing away. She took Carmen into Undertaker's hotel room. Inside with him were Kane, Test and Albert.

"Carmen, you're here," the Undertaker's gruff voice spoke. Everyone turned around to look at her. Carmen met all their eyes, uncertainty filling her face. _Was_ she supposed to be here?

"I want you, all of you… to take a look at what just happened tonight." Taker said, striding around his room. "The Alliance is tearing us apart. This defecting thing is taking its toll on us. Austin, Christian, Ivory. We've lost count of all the ambushes, the interferences, everything. I'm _sick_ of it, man!"

The sudden outburst startled Carmen. Taker was finding it hard to stay composed. "We've got to fight fire with fire," he said in a calmer tone. "That's why I called you all here tonight. I need you guys to go out there. We wanna know their next scheme. We wanna be prepared for it. That's our problem; we were unprepared from the very start, and we're paying like hell for it."

Carmen then understood what was happening. They were going to infiltrate the Alliance, on some kind of mission to retrieve the WWF's gold, and obviously, ultimately destroy the Alliance for good.

"Carmen." Taker looked her way. "The Women's title is being reinstated pretty soon. Vince feels you have a better chance to shine with the Alliance."

Carmen gaped at the Dead Man. This stuff he was saying was not really sinking in. They wanted her to defect. They wanted her to betray Lita and Matt and Jeff. They wanted her to put her life on the line. "Why me?" she asked, finally speaking out loud. "Why not Lita or Trish?"

"Lita's won that title before," Taker replied, "And so has Trish. Lita needs to keep the Hardys in check, and Trish is hurt. You are a whole bundle of talent, yet you haven't won the title. You have the biggest point to prove, and so you have every reason to be there. The Alliance hasn't hidden their desire to have you in their grasp, have they, Carmen?"

She shook her head. Shane McMahon _did_ approach her one time on the matter, and so had Paul Heyman. Several times, actually.

"Well then, how about you answer their call? How about you go there and win that title? How about bringing it back to the WWF? How about helping us take down the Alliance and putting them out of business for good?"

He made it sound so fucking tantalizing, but Carmen felt faint. She had to lean against the wall. "You don't realize what you're asking of me, Taker." Her voice was barely a whisper.

"I know exactly what I'm asking of you," Undertaker said. "That's why I want _you_ to think about it. It's your decision. Take your time."

"Fine," she managed, feeling sick to her stomach. "I need to go."

Without another word she fled from the room. She didn't stop running, going all the way to the room she shared with Lita.

Sara turned to her husband, eyes filled with anxiety. "Taker, are you sure about this? About Carmen?"

Taker leaned back in his chair. "Hundred percent. We all know she likes a challenge. She's never going to say no."

The redhead jerked her head towards the door as it burst open, automatically going into a defensive position. Carmen slammed the door and locked it, leaning against it. Sighing with relief, Lita lowered her fists. "Gosh you scared me. Where've you been? You weren't here when I got in. What happened?"

"Nothing," said Carmen breathlessly. "Just…Alliance…chasing me." She left Lita with no room to ask any more questions. She jumped straight into bed.

Lita watched her quietly for several moments with concern. "Are you sure you're okay?"

Carmen didn't answer, hoping Lita would think she'd fallen asleep very quickly. She climbed into bed and shut her eyes tightly. Maybe when she woke up the next morning, it would all be a big, bad dream.

-------

No such luck for Carmen. She had nightmares that night; the fans ridiculed her for being a sellout, and worst of all, she dreamed she was caught by the Alliance, and as retribution, she had been speared by Rhyno off the edge of a building. Carmen woke up screaming. Luckily Lita had not been in the room. The day went by and the nightmare seemed even more real. It was confirmed when Taker shot her a meaningful look as she passed by him and Kane at the lobby the next morning.

The next two days were a blur for Carmen. All she could think about was Undertaker's offer. Could she really do this? She needed balls the size of grapefruits to pull this off. She found herself wishing she had never followed Sara to her husband's hotel room that night. She wouldn't be in this mess, questioning her own abilities. And the deadline loomed ever closer, and she was not even close to making a decision.

Her apprehension did not go unnoticed. "Are you okay?" Jeff asked her while they worked out in the gym on Wednesday morning, for probably the millionth time.

"I'm fine," she said quickly, moving out of his reach before he could ask any more questions. She moped all day, not really listening to another of Matt's daily rants, or paying attention as Lita pointed out how great those shoes looked on her when they went shopping that afternoon.

She lay down in the hotel room in the evening while the other members of Team Extreme hung out downstairs, claiming she didn't feel too well. The silence in the room granted her time to think further about what she was about to embark.

The pros were as many as the cons. She would be considered a traitor. The fans would be relentless. Matt, Jeff and Lita would never forgive her, even if they found out the truth. Did she think she was better than Trish, or even Lita, so narcissistic, that she would jump at the chance of personal glory at the expense of her friends? If she messed up and she was found out, the Alliance would not hesitate to exact revenge. She would be publicly and personally humiliated. Was she that good an actress? The one thing she did not want to be labeled with was as the one who failed the company.

On the other hand, she'd never won the Women's title, even when it was still in contention. She was just over a year old in the business, so she had many points to prove. Her defecting would look like she was either uncertain of her role in the company, or that she was just plain pissed off that she was yet to be a champion. Seeing as everyone knew of her hotheadedness, the latter option would be their picks. There were a lot of people in the Alliance she wanted to see go down: Stephanie, Paul Heyman, the bimbos, and not to mention the traitor, Stone Cold Steve Austin, who had hightailed it after his defection, claiming to have been injured. The Alliance going down meant all these people would go down with it. The WWF would have all their gold and their power back, and she could be a part of it all. This was a golden opportunity to prove herself.

But she didn't think she could do it.

"Fuck!" she groaned.

--------

_Later that evening _

Carmen gazed at the front door of the Undertaker's hotel room. She'd sneaked out to come down here, but now she wanted nothing better than to run back to her hotel room and stay in there like the coward she was. But she had made her decision, and she was going to let them know. She knocked on the door.

On seeing her standing there, Kane let her in. Taker, Sara, Kane and Test were in there. Their mild chatter stopped when the blonde stepped past the Big Red Machine. "Carmen," Taker observed her. "Have you made your decision?"

Carmen stood straight, her face set with determination. "Yes. I'm in. I'll do it."


	5. Chapter 5

_**Chapter 5**_

Carmen lay down in her bed, unable to sleep once again. It was 3 a.m. She had a whole lot to think about on the way back to her bedroom.

She was moving to the Alliance to get the Women's title back. Switching meant turning on everything she'd ever worked for since she joined the WWF. Switching meant betraying Team Extreme. But she badly wanted the Alliance out of business. They had no right to be here, invading their turf, stepping over boundaries. If she was going to have a part in taking them down, so be it.

By the time she reached her room, Jeff – her roommate for the evening, was asleep. Judging by the sounds coming from the other room, Matt and Lita were putting the finishing touches to their making-up process. Carmen changed and got back onto her bed, staring at the ceiling.

Leaving her three team mates clueless would be the smartest thing to do if this mission was to be a success; Matt would have tried to kill her for even thinking about it. Jeff wouldn't have been able to shut his mouth. Only Lita would probably have let her carry on. And that was probably.

She had to plan her allies when she moved to the Alliance. She couldn't think of any one right now to stick with, but she already knew three people she would surely stay away from; Paul Heyman, the Billion Dollar Bitch, and Stone Cold Steve Austin – when he returned.

She was surprised she'd agreed to defect to the Alliance, after everything she'd gone through with Austin, when he and Triple H used to pick on Team Extreme for fun a while back. He would definitely be told of all happenings in the Alliance, so she just hoped he wouldn't be too suspicious about her switch. She knew that if he returned, he would try to intimidate her into "betraying" the Alliance and selling herself out. Austin was very good at things like that, but she had to promise herself that she wouldn't back down, no matter what happened. Mix all that in well, and everything would go right.

She hoped.

--------

Chris Jericho arrived just when the meeting ended. "What did I miss?" he asked. He looked around and saw Carmen leaving with Test. "So she agreed?" he asked.

Sara gave him a nod in response. "Good choice," he remarked, highly impressed. "Excellent choice."

Taker raised his eyebrow. "You think she can pull it off?"

"Hell yeah!" Chris replied with a smug smile. "She's Carmen damn it, one of our strongest girls. We got all the pieces to the puzzle now."

"But we need to protect her in every way we can," said Sara. "She'll be the prime scapegoat should anything happen, I just know it."

"That's why Test is there," reasoned Chris. "He's watching out for her."

"I'm talking about Steve Austin, guys."

Silence swept the room.

"He'll soon return to the Alliance," she continued when she was sure she had their complete attention. "They have history. Who knows what state of mind he'll be in?"

"I doubt Austin will try to hurt Carmen when she's on his side," Taker mused. "By then I'm hoping she'll have become too valuable to the Alliance."

"But can we really risk it?" Sara asked, looking around at all the men. "Remember what Austin and Triple H did to her and Lita some months back. He nearly killed them. Can we honestly make sure it does not happen again?"

Again, silence fell, Sara even shivering slightly. They remembered that period in time all too well.

"She's not stupid. There's no way she'll ever let herself alone with Austin," Taker assured Sara. She fell silent, but the look in her eyes told her husband that she was still apprehensive.

"So, we have to inform Vince about the new additions to our team," Chris pointed out.

"I'll do that," said the Dead Man. "If everything works out, Heyman, Stephanie and Shane McMahon won't know what hit them. They think they've got it big, but they don't know what _we_'ve got. We can finish these bastards off but if we don't step up now, we may never get the chance to ever again."

Chris rubbed his hands together. "Let the games begin."

----------

The next morning Team Extreme was at the hotel's restaurant having breakfast. "This is all so messed up, man," Jeff said sadly, picking on a piece of toast. "All this Alliance bullshit is getting outta control."

Carmen shrugged. "What else can we do other than fight? I don't know about you but I gotta protect _my _ass. Look what happened to Trish. Is she okay?"

"She's doing fine from what I heard," said Lita. Carmen nodded as she took a piece of toast. "And Edge too. I know it sounds weird but I felt sorry for him."

Jeff shook his head. "That was so messed up. I don't know what I'd do if any of _you_ guys defected."

Carmen nearly choked on her toast, and she looked away guiltily. Since she made her decision, she felt more comfortable around her team mates, mainly because it was too late to turn back. Whatever was going to happen was going to happen. But hearing those words from Jeff sparked a twinge of sadness in her insides.

"Has anyone noticed how much time he's spending around us though?" Matt complained. Carmen rolled her eyes. "So? Edge is the least of our problems right now, Matt. What harm is he to us now without his brother?"

"You don't know what he's thinking," Matt insisted. He could've planned this with Christian. I know you've been helping him out a bit, Carmen. You better watch out."

"I don't think so," Carmen said. "You should've seen him in the car. He was devastated. Besides if he tried anything stupid, we could easily take him down. There's four of us and one of him."

"Whatever," said Matt, "Look, the four of us have got to stick together. It's the only way we're going to survive this Alliance thing."

Jeff and Lita nodded in agreement, but Jeff noticed that his blonde teammate beside him, however, did not do the same.

--------

Two hours later, Carmen got to the arena, and she went off looking for Sara or the Undertaker. She needed to know exactly what she was going to do tonight. A stagehand gave her directions to Taker's locker room. She could feel herself practically shaking from her nerves. She finally found Sara talking to a technician.

"Sara," she called out, approaching her. Sara looked up and smiled. "Hey, Carmen, I was just about to send the stagehand for you. Taker's in here." Carmen followed her into the locker room. Test and Albert were already in the room with him. "Vince has all of you booked tonight," he was saying. "Albert will interrupt the WCW Tag titles match with APA against Sean O'Haire and Chuck Palumbo. Carmen and Test switch over in the match with Lance Storm against Edge. You've helped Edge once or twice in recent matches, right?"

He was talking to her now. "Um, yes," Carmen replied. _No, please God, no._

"Right. All you have to do is make it look like you're coming to help Edge again. That clear enough, kid?"

"Yes." _Shit._

"Good." He turned to Test. "You're clear about _your_ job, right?"

"Yep," he replied. "Can't wait for show time."

_I can_, Carmen thought glumly. Taker saw her expression. "There a problem, kiddo?" he asked her.

She looked up at him, startled. "Not at all," she said defiantly, but surprised everyone by bolting out the door.

Everyone else left, leaving the Dead Man and his family alone. Taker ran his hands through his hair. "We'd better not screw up or everything else we've got planned will be for shit."

---------

Carmen walked around the deserted parts of the arena aimlessly, trying to pass the time. What time? They were going to be there the entire day. She wasn't ready to face any of her friends. She sighed and climbed up a tall crate in a dark corner and sat down on it, her head in her hands. She hadn't even done anything yet, and she could already feel the guilt rising, ready to consume her.

"Thinking about tonight?"

She gasped and snapped her head upwards. "Oh," she sighed in relief. "Sara."

"Looks like you need some company," she continued. Carmen looked at him for a beat and nodded. She leapt onto the crate and sat next to her.

"I'm as nervous as hell, Sara," Carmen confessed. She ran her hands through her blonde hair, biting her lip. Sara rubbed her back comfortingly. "You can do this, Carmen. We all know you can, that's why Vince chose you."

Carmen rubbed her eyes with her hands and sighed. She imagined how her name came into the mix. Undertaker realized that Sara put a level of trust in her. It started in the first stages of the Diamond Dallas Page saga. Backstage, DDP had attacked Undertaker with a steel chair. DDP aimed it at Sara as she leaned over her fallen husband but Carmen jumped in the way, taking the chair to the head. She understood, and she was flattered.

But Carmen knew she had to attend to the task at hand. She_ had _agreed to this after all. She was given twenty-four hours to think it through. She could have said no, but she was never one to back down from anything.

She had her mind made up. The time for thinking and talking was over.

Tonight, Carmen was defecting to the Alliance.

A/N: Hope you guys are enjoying the story. Please read and review!!!!


	6. Chapter 6

_**Chapter 6**_

Lita entered the locker room she shared with Carmen, Matt and Jeff. The brothers looked up at her expectantly, but she shook her head, looking puzzled. "I don't know where she is, guys. Her cell phone's right here in her bag. What's up with her? She's been pretty forgetful these past few days."

Jeff backtracked to the beginning of the week. Carmen had been acting pretty strange from the first day and was a bit more quiet than usual. Jeff was more observant than people gave him credit for. He felt it was more than just a case of absent-mindedness with his fellow blonde. If only he could pinpoint what.

"Should we look for her?" Lita was saying. "I'm starting to get worried, with all these Alliance assholes running around."

"Nah, she's fine," said Matt. "She'll be back."

Jeff grew more and more worried. Something was going down tonight, and he had a feeling he wasn't going to like it.

---------

Carmen stood alone in the catering room watching the ongoing match on the TV screen. "And so it begins," she said quietly, staring at the monitor as Albert ran into the ring. Albert A-bombed Farooq while Bradshaw was down. Palumbo pinned Farooq and got the win. Albert walked backwards up the ramp, a very convincing smirk on his face, as the APA looked up at him from the canvas, shock and anger filling their faces. Carmen watched their expressions and concluded that Albert was in deep shit with Farooq and Bradshaw.

Now it was her turn. She and Test were supposed to run up to the ring and disrupt Edge's match. She remembered Test stating to the Undertaker how he couldn't wait to see the look on Shane and Stephanie McMahon's faces when all this is over. Carmen had not joined the WWF when it happened, but she'd been put up to speed by Jeff. Test and Shane had been good friends when the Canadian was dating his sister, Stephanie. But when Stephanie had dumped Test at the altar for Triple H, Shane had done nothing, simply turned a blind eye to everything that had happened. Some friend. Test had all reason to join this mission, Carmen thought. She could only hope that they could pull this mission off without a hitch.

Another match was about to start. Edge walked down the ring. He looked serious and determined to kick ass. If only Edge realized how serious the next few minutes would turn out to be. Carmen felt her stomach drop down to her knees as mid-way through the match Test took a steel chair and smashed it on Edge's head. That was her cue. She shot off towards the entrance. "Show time," she said aloud as she took off down the ramp.

_Feet don't fail me now_.

---------

Trish sat beside Jeff as they watched the match between Edge and Lance Storm. She, Jeff, Matt and Lita and everyone else had watched in shock as Albert handed the match to Sean O'Haire and Chuck Palumbo and switched over to the Alliance.

"Come on!" Matt groaned as Lance Storm kicked out of Edge's pin. Lita was standing right next to the monitor, holding a glass of water in her hand, scrutinizing the match for anything slightly unusual. Jeff's mind was whirling. Carmen had not returned. He was now certain that something had happened to her. Mind made up, he decided to go look for her.

Suddenly he heard a shocked cry. He jumped and turned to see Trish's hand covering her mouth. The plastic cup that Lita had been holding seconds ago had disappeared into her shaking fist, but that wasn't what she was concentrating on. Her eyes were fixed upon the TV screen, looking just about ready to collapse. Then he heard the bewilderment in his brother's yell:

"Wait a minute! Is that _Carmen_?"

Jeff saw what they were both looking at, put two and two together, and the result hit him like a speeding truck.

"Oh no! Please Lord, no…"

---------

Carmen tried in vain to block out the cheers that had erupted from the crowd as she ran down towards the ring. She was here to save Edge from Turncoat Test.

Or so they thought.

She went round the ring and climbed up the turnbuckle. Edge was trying to get himself to stand after the chair shot. Test stood next to Edge so that the fans would think that Carmen was aiming for him.

She crouched on the top turnbuckle and waited. Her heart pounded mercilessly inside her chest. Once he was standing straight, Test shoved him towards her. In one fluid motion, Carmen wrapped her arm around his neck and leapt off the turnbuckle, nailing Edge with her trademark Thrill Seeker, a Tornado DDT from the top rope. She descended and joined Test to kick on a helpless Edge. By this time, the crowd had fallen into a stunned silence. They couldn't believe their eyes. Albert's defection was not too much a surprise to them, but _Carmen_? She was one of the top Divas in the WWF. She was a member of Team Extreme! What the hell was happening?

Carmen and Test finally let go of Edge and slid out of the ring, allowing a surprised but appreciative Lance Storm to go for the pin and win the match. The fans turned on them, raining loud boos upon them. They walked backwards up the ramp, great big smirks plastered on their faces. Edge sat dazed against the ropes, and it was all Carmen could do not to burst into tears.

As they stepped past the curtain, Test's smile quickly faded and he turned to look at her, then sighed, taking in the way her face had suddenly paled. "Come on," he said softly, taking her hand, "Let's go find those bastards."

They made their way backstage. Some of the Alliance members congratulated them as they passed by, others staring after them, either curiously or suspiciously, wondering why they had decided to make the switch. Carmen just managed to keep that smirk plastered on her face. They didn't walk long before they saw Paul Heyman hurrying towards them.

"Well, well," he gushed, "Test! Carmen! This is a pleasant surprise. Welcome to the Alliance! I saw what you two did out there. Excellent! That's exactly what we need in this company! More great talent and more able-bodied women like you…" Heyman paused, looking Carmen slowly up and down lecherously. Carmen cringed, suddenly longing for a hot shower. She wondered how Lita had endured staying under his management in ECW.

"Thanks, Paul, I think I'll take it from here," said a firm female voice that may have well saved Heyman from getting socked in the mouth by Test. Carmen never ever thought she'd be grateful to hear her voice. She looked up to see Ivory walking up towards them. "Welcome to the Alliance, darling."

Deducing that she was safe with Ivory, Test sneaked away from Carmen and went off to mingle with other Alliance members. Ivory smiled at her, something she'd never done before to her, even when they'd been workmates at the WWF. "Forgive Mr. Heyman here," Ivory apologized. "He forgot his manners at home." She flashed the ECW owner a dirty look before speaking again. "Well, this wasn't something I expected at all. I must say this is quite a surprise."

"That's what happens when people begin to take you for granted," Carmen said nonchalantly.

The former Right to Censor member nodded. "Shame about that. Well, I'm glad you're here, Carmen. Maybe with your arrival, things will change around here, especially now that I've got new competition…"

Carmen knew when she was being challenged, and was courteous enough never to back down. "I'm looking forward to it."

The silence was tense as the two women sized each other up.

"Carmen," Test came up from behind her and placed his hands on her shoulders. "I think we should head back to the hotel."

"Yeah," she said. "Let's go, Test." Sending Ivory one last glower, she pulled him away and they headed towards the parking lot.

"You need Ivory, Carmen." Test said suddenly, when the Alliance woman was out of earshot. "You don't need to go pissing her off."

"I wasn't. I was just stating facts."

"Yeah, well, be friendlier about it next time." Test frowned. "And if Heyman ever so much as touches you, you let me know."

"You know you don't need to do anything." Carmen replied. "_I'll_ kick his ass myself."

Test grinned. "Right. I forgot how totally DIY you like being." He spotted his rental car not too far away. She slid weakly into the passenger seat as Test started the car and drove off towards the hotel. Carmen suddenly felt her insides squirm, and there was a sudden urge to throw up. The backlash was going to be merciless; from the WWF superstars, from the fans. The boys and Lita would never forgive her. She prayed she wouldn't have to run into them for a very long time. And Edge. Oh Lord. Guilt rushed through her as the look on his face when she'd given him the Thrill Seeker filled her head. God, she hoped she was doing the right thing.

Test looked at her briefly. She'd become extremely quiet. He knew she was thinking about tonight. He couldn't blame her for the anxiety she was feeling. He too was nervous, but was having an easier time containing his emotions. "It will be okay, sport," he said softly. "We've already gone this far. We can't back out now."

Carmen nodded weakly as they drove the rest of the way back to the hotel in silence.


	7. Chapter 7

_**Chapter 7**_

Edge sat on the sofa in his hotel room, his head held in his hands, alone in the darkness. The events of the past few days whirled in his head; Christian, his own brother, beating the shit out of him in the middle of the ring; Test whacking him in the head with a steel chair. Funny, Edge chuckled to himself; I used to do the whacking with the steel chairs. And then there was Carmen.

He gritted his teeth in anger as the anger flashed inside of him. Carmen. Of course. He should have known her concern for him was nothing more than pretense. She waited for the right moment to strike him, and it hurt like hell. He did not like being used. Edge realized he needed to have his guard up more than ever now. Strange things were happening lately, and he didn't like the looks of things for himself and the WWF one bit.

A loud knock broke his thoughts. His head snapped round to face the door. Swearing under his breath, he shook his head. He wasn't in the mood for a chat. Not now. He didn't think he ever would. But the knock came again.

"Go away!" he shouted, not getting up from the sofa. Instead, the knock became more persistent.

"Yo, Edge!" Chris Jericho's voice called back. "Open up. I need to talk to you. It's important."

Edge sighed, and got up. He turned on the light before heading for the door. He opened the door, and sure enough, Chris Jericho stood there. "So," Chris said, "you gonna let me in or what?"

Edge grunted impatiently and stepped aside, letting him walk past him and into his room. As soon as he shut the door, Edge faced Chris. "What the hell just happened out there tonight?" Edge demanded. "Well?"

"Edge, you need to calm down," Chris negotiated.

"Calm down?" Edge cried out incredulously, "Calm down? Four people have switched to the Alliance in three shows, including my brother! And now Test, and Carmen-" He shook his head angrily and turned away, facing the wall, and then turned back to his fellow Canadian. "What the hell is going on, Jericho? Do you have any idea, cuz I'd love one right now."

"Well, that's why I'm here, Edge," Chris said. "There's something you should know, and we might need your help…"

---------

Test and Carmen arrived at the hotel, walking past the receptionist's desk. "How are you going to get your things?" asked Test.

She groaned. "Shit. I didn't even think of-"

"HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO US, CARMEN?"

Carmen whirled round and saw Matt Hardy charging towards her, yelling expletives at her, his eyes absolutely blazing, Jeff and Lita right behind him. People were looking their way curiously, and the hotel receptionist was trying to tell the Hardy Boy to quiet down, but to no avail. Carmen just stood there numbly, the insults ringing in her ears. Carmen caught sight of Jeff, who was trying to hold his enraged older brother back, and she wanted to cry at the look of utter disappointment on his face, his green eyes glassy with impending tears. Unlike Jeff however, Lita had been unable to hold her own tears. They streamed down silently, dejectedly down her face, glaring hard and piercingly at the blonde. Carmen could read every word in her friend's devastated hazel eyes. She wanted to know why. Why she did this; why she had betrayed them. Right now, Carmen was too numb to even think up of an answer.

She didn't realize Test blocking her from view and quickly pulling her into the open elevator, her eyes still locked on the three as the elevator slid shut.

"Oh God, what have I done?" was all Carmen could say, her voice reduced to a tiny whisper. The tears pricked brutally at her eyes. Seeing her distress, Test threw one huge arm over her shoulder.

"Don't beat yourself up, babe," he said quietly. "They just don't understand. But they will, when the time is right."

---------

"So, what you're saying is that all this is just one big conspiracy, so they're not really defecting?"

"Jeez, Edgeward, I bet the entire hotel can hear you now," Chris warned, sticking a finger in his ear. "Yes, that's what I'm saying. They're playing the Alliance, weaseling out information from them, you know…?"

"What about Carmen?"

"We asked her to turn on you so it would look real enough. We doubt she'd have been able to turn on the Hardys or Lita…"

"We?" Edge pointed out.

"There are a few people involved." Chris began, counting his fingers, "Undertaker, Vince, Sara, Angle, Kane, Test, Albert, Carmen and yours truly."

Edge felt the pang of disappointment stab at him when Christian's name was not mentioned. He ran a hand over his face. "Why are you telling me this?"

"We need you two to communicate with each other. No one will suspect you two, seeing as you've been enemies for years."

Edge nodded in understanding. This shit was just too surreal. But he realized he had very little to lose. He couldn't go after the Tag Team titles on his own, could he? "Okay."

Chris studied the taller blond for a beat. "We meet on Thursday. If you've got any questions, you know where to find me." He stood up. "Until then…" he gave Edge a small salute before heading out the door. Edge sat there, still overwhelmed by all he'd been told and seen that night. He linked his fingers at the back of his head.

"Jesus…" he muttered.

--------

Test walked out of the bathroom, a towel on his waist and his phone in hand. Carmen had freshened up before him, dressed in a white pair of pajamas, and was staring blankly at the TV program that was on, her knees drawn up to her chest. Just then her phone rang. She answered it without looking at the ID. "Hello?"

"Great job out there, Carmen," a male voice said.

"Jericho," she pointed out.

"The one and only. How are you doing? I saw what happened afterwards, with you and Matt. Are you okay?"

Carmen sighed and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "I'm fine. I'll live."

"Of course you will. Now, to business. We think it will be good if you kinda distanced yourself a bit from Test."

"Really?" she said, raising an eyebrow, "so who do you suggest I latch onto then?"

"Try Ivory."

Carmen raised her eyebrows, recalling what went down earlier between them. "Uh, bad idea."

"No, good idea," Chris said. "She's mentor to the Alliance women. That makes her a big gun."

A snort of laughter escaped her. "Sorry, who's she mentoring? Those two blonde Playboy Playmate wannabies?" she asked.

"Another reason you'll be over there. You have to make it look like you're going over to strengthen the Women's division. She's gonna work with you as soon as she can. Come on."

"I don't think Ivory likes me."

"Then we have to rectify that, don't we?"

It sounded more like an order than a suggestion. Carmen sighed with reluctant resignation. "I'll see what I can do."

"Good. You've completed step one. Next step: kick ass and take no prisoners. Anything you hear, anything you see that you even think may be important, send it over."

"Roger that. I just hope not too many WWF guys try to jump me in the process," Carmen said with a deadpan tone. Now she was making her demands.

"We'll try to keep everyone back here in check. And speaking of, please, please don't get unnecessarily pissed off at everyone," Chris continued. "Everyone knows how you get when you do."

Carmen rolled her eyes. "My temper could be my biggest asset, Jericho."

"It could also be a liability. Tone it down, alright? I'm beggin' ya."

She was done talking. "Fine. Are you done? I need my beauty sleep."

"Of course you do. Goodnight. Bring that Women's title back."

She hung up her phone and sighed, her mind drifting back to the night's events. Matt, Jeff and Lita haunted her thoughts; Matt's angry yelling, Jeff's painfully obvious disappointment, Lita's tears. It was almost too much.

Test had already settled into his own bed. He looked at her once she had hung up, wincing at the dejected look on her face. her usually vibrant blue eyes had a dark, faraway quality in them. "You okay?" he asked her, and then suddenly wished he did not ask. Of course she wasn't.

"Lita was crying," she answered distractedly, running her hands through her hair. "She hardly ever cries. _I _made her cry, Test. How could I be okay?"

She turned over in her bed, facing the wall so Test would not have to see her shed tears of her own.


	8. Chapter 8

**_A/N: Whoa! Undertaker, or rather, Mark Callaway, and Michelle McCool? Where the hell have I been? Anyway, here's the next chapter. Enjoy._**

**_Chapter 8_**

The days preceding the next show surprisingly passed without incident. But all the wrestling fandom talked about was Carmen's defection to WCW/ECW. Soon enough, blogs were popping up with articles on reasons for her departure, and the impending demise of Team Xtreme. She was vilified as much as she was defended. Some thought of her as a possible double-agent, but it was quickly dismissed by other counterparts. Vince McMahon could never throw a valuable asset like Carmen to the wolves. Either way, the debate raged on and on.

Meanwhile, at Undertaker's orders, Carmen kept a very low profile. She worked out with and plotted with Test to pass the time. Raw could not come fast enough for Carmen. She had plans for the upcoming show; plans that would more or less discard everybody's doubts about her allegiance. Because she knew that Sara would be easier to reach than her husband, she ran through those plans with her through the phone. Sara said that she was looking forward to Monday night.

And in all honesty, so was Carmen.

* * *

_Monday Night Raw_

Ivory and Trish were at it in the ring, striking each other with hard right hands. Earlier that night, a furious Ivory had demanded a match against Trish after the Canadian attacked her with a steel chair backstage. But Ivory had forgotten about the cast on the little blonde's right forearm, the very cast Ivory herself helped put there.

Now it was literally hitting her in the ass.

The crowd cheered loudly as Trish gained momentum, forcing Ivory to cower as she rained more and more punches with her good hand. She only stopped when the WCW referee Nick Patrick threatened disqualification. He went to check on her when the dark-haired woman did not move. Trish didn't care. She was pumped up. She impatiently paced the ring, shouting at Ivory to get up. There was a bulldog with Ivory's name on it, and she was going to deliver it personally.

Suddenly the crowd's cheers transformed into boos, and before Trish could register why, she felt a kick to her stomach. She doubled over in pain, but her attacker gave her no chance to recuperate. The next thing she knew she was in a chokehold and bent backwards, staring up at the arena's ceiling. She gasped for air, clawing at the arm around her neck. Then everything went black.

She never saw the gold-and-black haired woman throw Ivory on top of her. The referee Nick Patrick got the three-count, much to the fans' disappointment. He had either not seen the interference or maybe he simply refused to.

Even before the bell sounded Carmen was already on her way out, walking backwards up the ramp. The fans booed mercilessly. Carmen pointed at Trish's fallen body and drew her index finger across her throat.

Thirty seconds was all it took to confirm it. Last week was no hallucination. Carmen now belonged to the Alliance.

* * *

Backstage, Sara and Kane watched the unfolding drama on the TV screen. "Wow. She's good," Taker's wife remarked, genuinely impressed.

"She's going to get better," Kane mused.

Sara did not take her eyes off the screen as she spoke. "She has to. We're counting on it."

* * *

The EMTs swooped on Ivory as soon as she stepped backstage. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Carmen walking away. "Carmen!" she called.

The blonde Diva turned around, gazing at her expectantly. Ivory gave her an appreciative nod, but she looked like she was taking a lot of effort to show courtesy to the younger woman. "Thanks."

Carmen merely responded with a curt nod and kept walking. She made it into the Alliance women's locker room and sat in the very corner, dabbing her face with a towel. It did not feel good using the Thrill Seeker on Trish, and they weren't friends. The sooner she got that Women's title, the sooner she'd hightail it back to the WWF and make all the amends with everyone. Right now everything was getting really conflicting for her, and she was barely started with the mission.

Everyone knew that Carmen was tough, mentally and physically. She wasn't known as one of the women revolutionizing the Women's division for nothing. Very little intimidated or scared her. She didn't want to let that reputation slip. She just needed to get used to being the bad girl, and given the environment in which she'd dumped herself, she figured that wouldn't be a problem at all.

* * *

Edge watched the TV, at a loss for words. Carmen was really good at this. She was making it look so easy; the game face, the taunting; everything about her demeanor was flawless. Her conscience was nowhere to be found. The fans lapped up everything she did. If he had not been involved with this, he would have too. He hoped she would keep it up, for the WWF's sake.

He hoped, more importantly, that she could make it out of this whole thing alive.

* * *

Carmen followed Test to the hotel gym the next morning. They had a signing at the city's mall later in the afternoon. Test informed Carmen that he and Albert had agreed to share a room, and this was one of the few times she would get to hang out with him. She had to start making plans for permanent accommodation, meaning she may now have no choice but to follow Jericho's advice regarding Ivory.

Most of the other Alliance crew members were outside having breakfast. She spotted Ivory, Lance Storm and Justin Credible sitting together, drinking coffee. Ivory caught her eye, and excusing herself from the guys, she came to meet the two of them. "Carmen," she said in a formal tone. "I want to talk to you. Do you mind?"

Carmen fought the urge to roll her eyes. This was all Jericho's fault, making her have to play buddies with the older woman. She did not like Ivory, right from when the raven-haired veteran was at Right to Censor, disparaging her and Lita for their dress sense. She wasn't sure her stint in the Alliance would change her feelings no matter how close they became. Only time would tell.

Turning to Test, Carmen said, "I'll catch up with you in a bit."

Test agreed, but not before giving Ivory a suspicious glare as he left. "Protective, isn't he?" Ivory asked, not taking her dark eyes off the tall Canadian.

She had guessed automatically, and rightly, that Ivory would pry into her and the people she would choose to hang out with. Try to scope out the competition and her associates. It was sharp, but Ivory was deeply mistaken if she thought Carmen was an idiot. The younger Diva had a strategy of her own; keep the friends close and the enemies closer. "Yeah, well, he's the only one right now that I can trust _not_ to kick my ass," Carmen answered.

Ivory was nodding her head. "I understand. Look, I know we've not been on the best of terms-

You got that right. Carmen shrugged. "Well, we all can't get along."

Ivory chuckled, ignoring the pointed tone in the blonde's voice. "Of course, but since you look like you're going to be here for the long-term, I want to ask you something. Make an offer, if you will."

Carmen shrugged again. "Let's hear it."

"I usually share a room with Lance over there, but nine times out of ten he disappears," Ivory explained casually. "Personally I don't think he's that comfortable sharing a room with a woman. I know you just joined us and unless you already have plans, you're free to share rooms with me."

Wow. Her plan was being handed to her on a platter. "Okay," Carmen replied nonchalantly. "Cool, whatever."

Ivory clapped her hands together. "All right. It's settled then. I know you've got somewhere to go, so I'll leave you alone now. In case we don't meet again after this, it's 923, on the ninth floor. I'll just leave the key card at the reception. Most of us stay at least three floors away from WWF, so try not to get lost, okay?"

"Sure." As she turned around again, she allowed herself a small smile. That went well.

* * *

Carmen's abrupt departure from Team Xtreme was quickly taking its toll on the remaining three members. They were still shaken by Carmen's actions on Smackdown, and the weight of the shock still bore down on them all. Matt paced around their hotel room, cursing under his breath. Lita sat silently, elbows propped up on her knees and hands covering her face. Jeff watched his brother with a frown on his face. Obviously he wanted to do a whole lot more than scream at Carmen at the hotel lobby that night.

"Guys?" Trish's voice sounded at the other side of the door after a brief bout of knocking. "Hey guys, let me in one second."

Jeff sent Lita and Matt a quick glance before standing up to unlock the door. She came in, suddenly feeling the tension in the room. "Hey."

"Hey," Jeff replied, eyeing her with concern. "Are you alright?" he asked, leading her to the bed and sitting down beside her.

Aware of what he was referring to, Trish ducked her head. "I've been better. I just had a concussion. I'll be fine." She looked round at them, observing the looks on Jeff's and Lita's faces. Sighing heavily, Trish took a seat beside Jeff. "Okay. Obviously none of us knows what's going on. And we all have every right to be pissed off. But what's happened has happened. We still got business to attend to. Jeff, you need to concentrate on getting your Hardcore Championship back from RVD."

She didn't know where she was getting off walking in on them and delivering some speech. But she had seen enough. A crisis was emerging in the WWF, and she couldn't bear to see her allies throw in the towel. Trish turned to the only other female in the room. "Lita."

Reluctantly, the redhead lifted her gaze. The anger in her eyes nearly overwhelmed Trish, but she managed to keep her composure. Carmen did not realize just what she had done. Carmen did not know just who she was messing with. "Lita, the Women's Championship is coming back. We can't let Torrie and Stacy…or as it's turned out, _Carmen_-" she trailed off as Matt's eyes darkened at the mention of his former friend's name, "-get their hands on it, not while the two of us are around. Right?"

Lita hesitated for a moment, and then nodded. It satisfied her to know she now had their attention. "This is what the Alliance wants, for us to be moping around like this," she said passionately. "We are still WWF. We cannot take our eyes off the real goal here, and that is keeping our company, keeping our livelihood alive. Now is the time that you three come together and be stronger than ou ever were when you were four. You don't have a choice anymore. She took away that choice from you."

Matt tuned out whatever the Canadian woman was spewing. His blood was boiling. How _dare_ she? How dare she betray them and then run away like a coward? She was not going to get away with it. He would not let her. His pacing slowed down as his mind began to work, moving a mile a minute, plotting, scheming. If she was going to blindside them like that, he was more than willing to return the favor.

He rubbed his hands together. Oh yeah. Carmen was going to pay.


	9. Chapter 9

_**Chapter 9**_

"You asked to see me, Commissioner?" Carmen said, as she entered into William Regal's office. She almost ran back out the minute she walked in. The entire room spilled with the pride of Great Britain, adorned with Union Jack flags; the curtains, on his desk, one was propped up beside the window, Union Jacks everywhere. Carmen looked around, completely bewildered. Someone was taking his patriotic duties a bit too far.

William Regal looked up from his desk. "Carmen. Good, you're here. I've scheduled you for an inter-gender tag team match tonight. You'll be teaming up with Billy Kidman against Spike Dudley and Jacqueline. Your match is up in a few minutes, so I suggest you go get ready now."

Carmen shrugged. Fine with her. She heard the Kidman guy wasn't a bad wrestler, either. As she left the office, she accidentally bumped into her tag-team partner for the evening, Billy Kidman. "Watch where you're going…oh, hey," he said, holding her steady. "I'm sorry I ran into you like that. I'm Billy Kidman." He held his hand out to her, which she shook. "I heard we're having a match tonight. It's in ten minutes, after The Hurricane versus Tajiri. See you later." With that he walked off.

She watched him with a confused expression on her face. "Okaaaayyyy," she muttered as she made her way towards the Alliance Divas' dressing room, hoping to get some alone time before she got ready for her match. Walking in, she saw the two Barbies sitting down exchanging lipsticks. She rolled her eyes. She'd forgotten she would have to work with these two bimbos. Ugh. She could swear she'd just thrown up in her mouth.

The two ladies looked up and saw her standing by the door. The surprise spread on their faces initially, and then it was replaced with contempt. "So you finally got your head of your ass and joined the better team," Torrie said in that stupid bitchy voice of hers.

"What happened, Carmen? Freaky Tattoo Girl and Midget Barbie kick you out?" Stacy added with a sneer.

Carmen snarled at them like an angered wolf and ready to pounce when she felt a hand grab her shoulder to restrain her. "Forget them," Ivory hissed in her ear, "This is their way of saying hi. You got a match right now, so stay focused."

Carmen snorted and rolled her eyes. Shrugging out of Ivory's grip, she stalked off into the corner of the room to prepare for her match. She pulled out a pair of bright blue pants and a matching bandana and eyed them for a moment, deciding that the bright colors had to take a back seat now that she was a heel. Dressing up, she watched Ivory interact with Stacy and Torrie at the other end of the locker room. When she was done with all this, the first thing she would do was give those two bitches a beating.

* * *

Carmen walked down the ramp with Billy Kidman beside of her, that arrogant smirk pasted on her face again. She forced herself to let the boos go right over her head, but the fans were relentless, booing her heartily. She swallowed hard. _Suck it up Carmen_, she told herself. If she was going to be stuck here for the next few weeks or months, she would have to learn how to feed off the negative energy.

Kidman held open the ropes for her. Carmen shot him a "you're kidding, right?" look before scaling over all three ropes with ease. The cruiserweight smiled, acknowledging his mistake by putting his hands up. Inside the ring Jacqueline flexed her muscles, shooting Carmen a death glare. "Oh, you are so dead, little girl," she snarled. "I'm gonna kick your little traitor ass all over this ring."

A small smile tugged at Carmen's lips. Jackie was tough, but she was nothing she couldn't handle. Somewhere in the back of her mind, Carmen wondered if the APA valet would have a change of heart after she got wind of what was really going on. "Bring it on, sugar," Carmen said in response, blowing a kiss for good measure.

Jacqueline growled and immediately pounced on her, and Carmen quickly reacted with a hip toss. Jacqueline bounced right back up and charged, knocking Carmen to the canvas with her left shoulder. As she shook the cobwebs out of her head, Jacqueline picked her up, aiming to slam her back down, but Carmen countered with a head scissors take down. She went over and tagged Billy, who came out just as Jacqueline tagged Spike. They went at it, nailing each other with right hands. Billy tossed Spike to the turnbuckle and rushed after him, but Spike leapt over him and drop-kicked him into the turnbuckle. Spike set Billy up for a Dudley dog, but before his feet could get on the ropes Kidman dumped him unceremoniously out of the ring. Jacqueline left her corner and tackled Kidman, both of them rolling out of the ring. Carmen jumped down from the apron and hurried to Kidman's aid.

Nothing prepared her for what happened next.

She met a brutal clothesline that turned her body inside out from the impact, and she landed awkwardly on the back of her head. The flash of curly dark hair that whizzed by as she toppled over instantly gave away the identity.

Matt Hardy.

Gasping for air, Carmen curled up into a ball and clutched the back of her neck, trying without success to stem down the pain and the shock running through her. Before she could even figure out what was happening, a pair of hands grabbed her by the hair and pulled her up, whirling her around. Her mouth dropped open in surprise as Matt glared back at her, his dark eyes blazing with fury. What the hell was he doing here? He had no business being at ringside. But she could see it in his eyes that he didn't care. He just wanted to hurt her, make her feel the pain he, Jeff and Lita felt when she turned her back on them.

Carmen looked around desperately for Billy. He was face-down outside the ring, having been laid out by Matt. The referee was being distracted by Jacqueline, who was back inside the ring, and therefore had not seen Matt. Carmen shuddered violently at the psychotic look on her former teammate's face. She'd never ever seen him look like that since she first knew him. It was like…it was like he wanted to kill her. Such was the crime she had committed. How ironic, however, that since she began this, she was yet to touch any of the members of Team Xtreme. Obviously Matt Hardy was in no mood to wait for that time to roll around.

"You stupid bitch!" he hissed, gripping her hair tightly, smirking diabolically as she tried in vain to pry his fingers out of her hair. "You thought you could get away with this, didn't you?"

Before she could react, he drew back his fist and hit her with a sharp, stinging punch to the jaw. Her head snapped back from the force and she collapsed again. Matt moved to pick her up but she mustered up all her strength and scrambled away from him as far as she could. She wasn't moving fast enough, she was in too much pain. Her back was turned to Matt, who followed her slowly, enjoying this little cat-and-mouse game. He caught up with her and pushed her hard in the back. She went crashing face-first into the steel steps. She saw stars. With a shaking hand she pulled off her bandana and swiped her face with it. It was stained, and smelled unmistakably of blood.

Dazed and weakening from the blood loss, Carmen turned slowly around and saw Matt advancing towards her. She was in so much pain that tears came out of her eyes. She could barely move. She tried to, but her entire body felt unnaturally heavy. She just remained there helplessly, too feeble to even beg for her life. _Oh God, oh God, he _is_ going to kill me_, she thought frantically. She shut her eyes tightly, waiting for another devastating blow.

But it never came.

After several seconds, Carmen slowly opened one eye and saw Matt lying on the floor beside her. Test had attacked him and shoved him into the ring post, knocking him out. He went over to Carmen and helped her up.

"Come on, let's get you out of here," he said softly, scooping her in his arms and carrying her up the ramp. She started to comply but suddenly had a rethink. There was no way she was going to lose her first match as an Alliance member. She had to go on.

"Wait…" Carmen started, struggling in his grasp until she was back on her feet. Test immediately knew what she wanted and held onto her tightly. "Hell no! Carmen, you're bleeding like a faucet. You're in no shape to be fighting anyone."

He was right. She could feel the blood pouring down her face, feel her body getting weaker with every movement she made, but she didn't care. She was determined to win this match. The adrenaline took over, and she broke free from him and went back towards the ring. Billy had just gotten to his feet, leaning against the ropes to support himself. Carmen tagged herself in, just as Jacqueline got the tag from Spike. Jackie flew out of the ring and ran at Carmen at full speed, but the blonde woman dropped down at the last second, landing in another trademark move, a sideways split. She winced in pain from the effort, but it did its job, sending Jacqueline straight into the turnbuckle. Carmen sneaked up on her and caught her out with a schoolboy roll up, using the ropes for leverage. She was hugely relieved when the canvas pounded three times for her first Alliance win. The fans booed loudly, having caught the dirty tactic.

Carmen stumbled out of the ring and walked purposefully but quite unsteadily towards Test who was still waiting for her. Her head was throbbing horribly. The entire arena was beginning to spin like a carousel. And why the hell was Test standing so fucking far away? She felt like she was walking a mile just to get to him...

She was unconscious before she hit the ground.


	10. Chapter 10

Test grabbed her before she hit the floor. The very last thing he wanted was to deal with a concussion. "Crazy broad," he griped, lifting her easily over his shoulders. "Never ever listens to anybody."

Billy, who had recovered from Matt's attack, had joined Test backstage. "Shit! How hurt is she?"

The damage was clear. She was bleeding profusely from the side of her head. Kidman groaned. "I messed up man, I'm sorry," he started to say, but Test wasn't listening. He rushed off to the nearest trainers' rooms, and Billy followed suit. Test kicked the door open, and laid Carmen down on the nearest desk. "She's losing blood fast," he informed the EMT inside the room. "Do something!"

The doctor sprang into life, conjuring up cotton wool and spirits he would use to clean up her forehead. Suddenly, the door burst open and in ran Ivory, already dressed up for her match against Lita.

"I saw Test come in here! Where is…" she trailed off when she saw the mess on Carmen's head. "Oh my God! Is she gonna be okay?" she asked worriedly, leaning forwards and peering at Carmen's face. Matt Hardy had done quite a number on her. The cut was rather deep, and it gashed nearly half of the top of her head.

"We'll find out the full extent of the damage when I clean this up," the doctor replied, not looking up from his treatment table. Ivory spun round and smacked Billy hard upside the head. "What the hell were you doing out there, you moron?"

"Hey!" Billy frowned as he gingerly rubbed the back of his head. Inwardly he was embarrassed by how easily Matt Hardy had overpowered him, and was smarting even more from the fact that despite her condition the girl had won their match for them. "How was I to know Matt Hardy would appear out of nowhere? He had us completely sidelined," he said in his defense.

Just then Carmen began to stir. They all turned around and watched her in a hushed silence, as if for fear that if they weren't quiet, she may never wake up again.

"Ow, my aching head," she groaned, squinting at the people in the room. "What happened, man?"

"Matt Hardy happened," Test said. Her stomach dropped as she remembered. Of course. Matt had sought revenge tonight. She should have known Matt would never have let her go scot-free with what she did. But she couldn't believe Matt was so mad at her to do what he did. There was no remorse, no second thoughts that crossed his features at all. He'd planned to hurt her. If Test hadn't come in when he did, Matt would have probably ended the career he helped start.

"Are you alright, Carmen?" Ivory asked her gently.

"I'm excellent," she responded, trying to sound as normal as she could muster. "Right, doc?"

The doctor that was examining her nodded. "Yes, but barely. The cut just missed your eye. This requires quite a number of stitches, Carmen. I really shouldn't let you go like this. If you can wait a few more minutes I'll stitch you up and get you as back to normal as possible."

"Do whatever you need to do, doc," Test told him, before Carmen could say otherwise. Knowing her she would want to walk out of here with the open wound just to prove how tough she was. The doctor nodded in Test's favor. "Just wait here and I'll get a few things…" he moved briskly to the cabinet at the other side of the room.

Ivory said to Test, "You should take her back to the hotel when he's finished. I have a few minutes to spare. I can get her bag for her."

"Thanks, but I'll get it myself," Carmen insisted rather abruptly. Test sent her a curious look. Ivory did not seem to notice anything.

"Jeez Carmen!" she winced. Large purple bruises were beginning to form all around the cut. "And you still kept going?"

"And won," said Carmen, forcing a smile on her face. "At least I'm still alive. I could have got worse."

"You're one tough-ass chick, I must say," said Kidman. "Thank God you came to the Alliance. Most of our women are lousy."

Ivory rounded on him, not hiding her displeasure at his remark. "I sure hope that doesn't include me, Kidman!"

"Of course not!" Kidman quickly backtracked. "I meant the others-"

The doctor returned with needles, thread and bandages, among others. "Here we are," he announced, unwrapping one of the needles. "Let's get started. Now, if you could just hold still…"

They all stood in silence as the doctor began working her. Ivory checked her watch and slapped her hand on her forehead. "Oh, heck, I'm up in a minute," she said, turning to look at Test. "I still think you should take her back to the hotel, okay?" She then hurried out of the room.

Billy looked at Carmen sympathetically. "Sorry, Carmen."

Carmen just shook her head. "That's okay, Billy. Nice working with you."

Billy slightly jerked his head upwards – his own version of a greeting, Carmen guessed – and then walked out of the room.

Test turned to her, hands on his hips. "What the heck is wrong with you, Carmen? Why did you keep going on like that when you were losing so much blood out there?"

"Have you ever known me for quitting, Test?"

"No," he said reluctantly, "but do you have any idea how dangerous-"

"Then case closed."

Test stood silently, stiffly, thinking of alternative ways to stuff all his warnings into her thick skull, because he obviously was not getting through to her this way.

"Good, we're done," the doctor said as he finished with Carmen's head. He pushed some painkillers into her hand. "I would highly recommend that you stay away from the ring for a while, okay? Give yourself about a week's break."

Carmen started to protest, but caught herself when she saw the warning look Test jarred her with. "Okay. Fine. A week." She looked up at Test. "Well, are you going to help me out of here or what?" She slid off the desk, leaning onto him for support and the big Canadian led her out of the room towards the Women's locker room. "I'm going with you," he told her. "What if Jackie's lurking around somewhere?"

Carmen stared hard at him. "I may have passed out, but I sure as hell remember that she wasn't the one who busted me open."

He still followed her, all the way into the Women's locker room, and on catching sight of the male presence invading, Stacy and Torrie began squealing, holding their towels tightly to themselves. Their squeals made Carmen's head pound.

"Oh, shut up, you two!" she snapped, making her head throb even worse. "Why the squealing? It's not as if the entire world hasn't seen you two naked."

The two blondes immediately fell silent, still clutching their towels, their cheeks burning. Carmen took her bag, handing it to Test as he followed her out of the room, completely unfazed by the whole thing.

The drive back to the hotel once again was in silence. Test briefly took his eyes off the road to observe his passenger. Carmen maintained her steely, blank stare outside her window. Test thought about how things had changed between him and most of the guys at the WWF. It seemed like the solidarity with their beloved company was what was keeping everyone so closely-knit. Like with Carmen. They hated each other not too long ago. He remembered the public embarrassment he received at her hands when he started to put the moves on Lita. Carmen of course, was on hand to defend her teammate. When Test accused her of being jealous of the attention he was giving to Lita, Carmen insisted that she preferred dating her own species to overgrown beavers. Test chuckled at the memory. It was probably just the Rock and Chris Jericho that could beat Carmen in a verbal ass-kicking contest. Obviously since then things had mellowed, and Test figured that Carmen was a pretty cool person once one got to know her.

When they got into the hotel room, he dropped the bags beside the bed and turned to face her, but she whizzed past him and made a beeline for the bathroom. Worry filling his eyes, he made to follow her. "Carmen-"

"I'm fine!" she snapped, slamming the door behind her and locking it. Taking her word for it, he went back to his bed. He listened to the retching sounds coming out from the bathroom, and his large hands curled into equally massive fists. He knew neither the Hardys nor Lita knew what was really going on with Carmen, but it was no excuse for what happened tonight. She was pretending to be okay, but the poor girl was hurting, both physically and emotionally. Test silently vowed to return the favor to Matt Hardy, and he knew exactly how he was going to do it.


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: The reviews are very much needed, people! But thank you to those who have been kind enough to do so. Happy reading!**

Edge walked out of Undertaker's hotel room, riddled with shock. He'd just been fully filled in on the defection plan. It was much more elaborate than he initially thought. But he understood why. Things were truly getting out of hand. Only a drastic measure was required for something like this. Quite a few people were involved, and he worried for them. He worried most for Carmen. She was one of the best Divas in the business. Despite being relatively new, everyone could see her potential, and the Alliance would not think twice to snatch her up in a flash. But at the same they would beat her down just as quickly if they ever learned the truth, and with Stone Cold Steve Austin now in the Alliance and soon to return, Edge wondered why the Undertaker allowed Carmen to go on this mission given her history with the Texas Rattlesnake. It was too dangerous a task, even for a daredevil like her.

"Edge," a soft female voice spoke from behind him. He turned around saw the Undertaker's wife, Sara, following him. She fell into step beside him. "Mind if I join you?"

Edge sensed the question was not necessarily his to answer. She would do what she wanted anyway. They walked slowly down the hallway. Sara took the lead, moving with purpose. They reached the lobby, and that was where she stopped and turned to him. "I'm sure you're a little confused by everything that's going on, aren't you?" she asked him.

"Can you blame me? This shit is not right. This Alliance thing is more than just a game now. This is a war and Carmen's in the line of fire. Aren't you scared for her?"

"Why should I be? Carmen is one of the best there is. And she has Test with her."

"But Test wasn't there when Matt Hardy attacked her," Edge countered, "at least not on time."

"True," Sara agreed after a pause.

"Think about it, Sara. He won't always be there. He has his own battles to fight. Austin will return from his injury very soon. Remember what happened last time he and Carmen clashed?"

Who didn't? Some months back, as the Two-Man Power Trip Austin and Triple H literally mutilated everyone on the WWF roster. That list included Lita and Carmen. Back then, Austin seemed to have an obsession, somewhat, with Carmen, interrupting her matches and beating on her every chance he got. Obsessions never diminished, and Sara was walking proof of that.

"Austin has his own agenda," said Sara, "and that's doing everything he can to keep the WWF title as his own once he gets back. So Carmen's going to be the last thing on his mind. Edge," she said his name with a tone of urgency, "Vince thinks you will be reliable for us. Prove him right. We need this to go our way otherwise you and everyone you care about in the WWF will be joining the unemployment line next year. Matt Hardy should not be allowed to do what he did to Carmen again. Will you help us?"

He sighed. "Yes."

Sara smiled. "I hoped so. Thank you."

---------

The tension in the air in their hotel room could be cut with a knife. Matt sighed and looked at his brother from the corner of his eye. Jeff had not said a single word or even looked at him since he saw what he had done to Carmen. In fact, he simply walked into the bathroom when Lita barged into their room and started yelling at him. Trish and Jacqueline had to come in and drag her out of there. After all the commotion was over, Jeff walked right back out of the bathroom and sat back down on his bed, keeping his back turned to Matt, staying coldly silent. He often got the old silent treatment scheme from Jeff at times, but this was more than just the silent treatment. If Matt knew Jeff well enough, Jeff was about a couple of minutes away from blowing up on him.

There was a knock on the door. Matt looked over at Jeff. He didn't move. Matt got up to unlock the door, rolling his eyes as he saw who stood there.

"Look, Trish-" he began, but Trish held up one hand to silence him as she stepped inside the room.

"Shut up, Hardy," she hissed as she turned to face him, contempt crossing her features. "Just tell me this. What the hell did you think you were trying to prove tonight?"

Matt crossed his arms defiantly. "What's the issue? Carmen is for the Alliance now. She's a traitor! She turned on us-"

"And the next thing you do is attack her?" Trish shouted angrily. "She's your friend, Matt! For as long as you've known me I've been pretty terrible towards all four of you, yet I don't recall you ever hitting me. Not once. So don't give me that Alliance crap and stop contradicting yourself. Stacy Keibler and Torrie Wilson are Alliance too, but I don't see you slapping them around. In fact, when Stacy kissed you, you didn't hit her, Matthew. You actually kissed her back."

Matt averted his eyes from Trish's, looking briefly at Jeff. He still hadn't moved, but he could tell he was listening. "That's not the point," Matt dismissed guiltily. "Carmen deserved everything she got."

"Matt, do you have any idea how many Alliance guys are gunning for you right now?" Trish countered.

"Will you get off my fucking back?" he snapped. Trish glared at him, exasperated. "Don't say I didn't warn you, Matt." She then turned and walked out of the room. Matt stood there, trying not to let Trish's words get to him. "Can you believe this crap?" he muttered, "everyone's on my ass because of that fucking sellout-"

"_Sellout_?" Jeff screamed so suddenly and so loudly, Matt jumped about ten feet in the air. The younger Hardy shot up from his bed and stormed over to his brother, getting in his face. "You call her traitor? She deserved what you did to her? I can't believe you, Matthew! She's like our sister! So fuck what if she defected? Did you take a good look at what you did to her, motherfucker? You had no fucking right to do that!" Jeff stopped and stared at Matt for a moment, breathing hard, visibly shaking with fury. He suddenly made a dash for their wardrobe, grabbing Matt's travelling bag. He opened the drawers and hastily started throwing Matt's things inside, then zipped it closed. "You know, I can think of one reason why she left," he said in very deep, dangerous voice, "because of you, Matt."

Then picking up the bag, he yanked the door open and flung it outside. "Get out," Jeff hissed.

Matt was stunned. "You can't be serious-"

Jeff was in no mood for any more chitchat. He grabbed Matt roughly by the front of his shirt, literally throwing him out into the hallway. Matt looked up at his brother from the floor, in complete surprise at his outburst, and what he'd just done.

"Jeff…" he managed to call out. But Jeff had already turned away. He entered the room and slammed the door behind him.

Matt stayed on the ground, staring at the door in shock. Jeff had just kicked him out of their hotel room, in the middle of the night no less. He sighed and put his head in his hands. Where was he to go now? He threw his hands in the air in resignation and got up from the floor, picking up his bag. He looked at the door one last time and forced himself towards the elevator. He had to go down to the lobby to see if there were any spare rooms. He really hoped so, he thought sullenly, looking up as the elevator opened.

Kane stood inside. Matt was relieved. At least it wasn't an Alliance idiot. Matt started to enter the elevator when Kane's large hand swooped down and slapped his neck. Kane strode out of the elevator, backing Matt up. He lifted him up high in the air and slammed him against the wall, applying more pressure on his throat. Matt spluttered and coughed as he felt his feet leave the ground. He glanced down fearfully at Kane, squirming in his grip, his eyes wide as saucers.

"Now you listen up, Hardy," Kane said in a low voice, similar to the one Jeff had used not too long ago. "I saw what you did to Carmen tonight. If you ever lay another finger on her again, I will make sure that you bleed from every single pore in your body. Got that?"

Matt tried to mutter something, but Kane was virtually stretching his neck, and the air and blood were rapidly diminishing. "Yes," he squeaked weakly. Kane went still, and then he opened his hand, sending Matt crashing down to the floor. Matt instantly started coughing and wheezing hard, clutching his throat. Kane stood there and stared at him before walking back into the elevator. Matt watched the elevator close, Kane's dark eyes blazing ghoulishly through his mask.

Matt felt the sides of his neck. They were already swelling and bruising. He then knew that if he wasn't careful in the future, swelling and bruising would be only the beginning of his woes.

Trish's warning was considered heeded.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

Ivory spent a part of the morning formally introducing Carmen to the Alliance wrestlers. Everybody kept checking on her, asking her how she was doing after what happened with "that punk/asshole/piece-of-shit" Matt Hardy, which felt nice. Carmen noticed to her great pleasure that hanging out with Ivory had a number of perks. For one, no one dared to touch her. Carmen was now her protégée, so to speak. In her mind, Carmen believed she was better than Ivory and took solace in the fact that she would not be doing this for long.

"Yo! Ivory!"

Carmen frowned as Rob Van Dam walked up to them, wearing an ECW shirt and his Hardcore Title across his shoulder. He had smugness in him that irked her. Without even acknowledging her, he started a conversation of his own with Ivory. Her jaw dropped. How rude! She stepped in between them. "Um, do you _mind_?" she said, gesturing between her and Ivory. "We were talking."

Rob stared at her, a bit too long for her comfort. "I know you," he suddenly said, as if seeing her for the first time. She rolled her eyes. "Takes that long for your brain to boot, huh?"

He pretended to think, and then with a snap of his fingers, said, "Oh, yeah. You hang out with the guy with the crazy hair. Now _him_, I remember. I kicked his ass and took his Hardcore title."

That was it for Carmen. She stepped right up to Rob, drawing herself to her full height and giving him a look that could petrify a cobra. "Maybe you did, but how's about I do him a favor, huh, tough guy?" she hissed.

Rob made sure he looked her slowly up and down. He then looked over at Lance Storm, who had accompanied him. "Hey, check it out Lance. This one's a spitfire."

Lance ducked his head, stifling a laugh, which diminished when Ivory shot him a dirty look. Carmen growled. It was all she could do not to sock Rob square in his jaw.

"Okay, break it up," said Ivory, stepping between the two of them. "Shouldn't you be going somewhere, guys?"

Shooting him a sarcastic look, Carmen made a shooing motion at Rob. He responded by rolling his eyes before sauntering off.

"Never mind him," Ivory said to her. "He can be a bit…assertive sometimes."

"Whatever," Carmen said gruffly, her good mood ruined. "I'll catch you later."

She hoisted her bag up her shoulders and moved on. She spotted a couple of WWF wrestlers sitting and chatting among themselves. She threw her hood over her head, walking casually but still increasing her tempo. As she turned the corner and went into the building, she smacked into something solid. She found herself staring at a broad, Metallica-clad chest. She gasped as she looked up into the emerald-green eyes of Edge. She had not seen him since she turned on him. Now here they were, alone in the hallway, face to face with each other. Her breath caught in her throat. What was he going to do to her?

Without a word, Edge took her elbow and quickly ushered her into what looked like a storage room. When they got in, he closed the door behind him, his frame completely blocking the door. Edge gave her a reassuring smile. "Now don't panic," he whispered. "I've been briefed."

She was staring at him, almost afraid to move. "What?"

Edge nodded. "Taker and Jericho told me everything."

The relief nearly burst her open. "Edge, I'm so sorry…that night," she said rapidly. "I had to do it. It was the only way-"

"I understand," Edge said softly, "My reaction had to be genuine. You don't need to be sorry. God, look at this." His hand reached out to touch her stitched head. She winced as his thumb lightly grazed the line. "Matt's a fucking prick." He glanced back down at her. "Carmen, look at what this is doing to you. Are you sure you want to do this?"

She narrowed her eyes. "That's a dumb question, Edge. What do you take me for, a puppet?"

"No, Carmen, you're anything but," he said in a placating voice. "I just want you to be careful. Those Alliance guys won't hesitate to do you in should they find out what's actually going on."

"Then you shouldn't be standing here," she said. Her tone made Edge realize he had ticked her off. He did not mean to, but the questions were necessary. "Okay. Just so you know, I'm meant to be your go-to guy."

"Makes sense," she said with a shrug. "No one will expect you and me to be talking."

"I know we've never been best friends," said Edge, "but our jobs are on the line here. So whether you like it or not, we're in this together."

He squeezed her shoulder and vanished out the door in one swift move. Carmen stood there alone for a few moments. She was pleased she got to talk to Edge face to face. She'd been feeling guilty for what she did to him that night. Knowing she had him on her side made her feel better. It was too bad that Lita, Jeff and Matt wouldn't know what was really going on, and weren't finding out anytime soon. If yesterday was any inkling of how they all felt about her defection, not even bothering to dig deep and find out what was really going on, then it was a real shame. She put them out of her mind once and for all. She learned from experience that dwelling on the past never helped anybody move forward.

She made her way to the gym without any more interruption. She worked out for a while, wondering vaguely when the gym would be sorted out – some of the equipment was faulty. She didn't think she wanted to make early outings to the arenas' weight rooms. Her sleep just happened to be very precious to her, but with her new mode of travelling, it was near impossible to get any decent sleep nowadays. When she was with Lita Matt and Jeff, they did all their traveling in the afternoons, except when they _really_ needed to touch base early, so that she and Jeff would have their lie-in.

Jeff. She would be lying if she said she didn't miss him.

She increased the speed on the treadmill and ran like hell until she was exhausted. She took off her earphones and wiped her face and neck with her towel.

"Carmen."

Her name was uttered as if it was an entire sentence. She turned round, and her features sprinkled with amusement.

"Christian," she responded in the same way he did, tucking a strand of hair behind her ears. Now this guy, she would never, ever stand in a million light years. He was a turncoat through and through. She could see the signs back when his brother Edge won King of the Ring. Even when they'd agreed to settle their differences to take on the Alliance, Carmen still didn't trust him. She turned out to be right after he turned on Edge at Invasion. She knew he hated her too, but she could care less. He didn't look like he came in for a work-out though, as he was wearing jeans. Carmen braced herself. They were alone in the gym and she couldn't tell what exactly was going on his twisted head.

"So, you're in the Alliance now," he said, in a rather accusing tone. Carmen, looking tickled, leaned against the treadmill. "You sound bothered," she remarked. "Think I'm gonna steal your shine? That's if you had any shine to begin with."

"You better go back to where you came from, Carmen," he said sharply. "You don't belong here and you know it."

Carmen had stopped what she was doing. She gaped at him for a long time, and then, without warning, she burst out laughing. It caught Christian completely off-guard. "Did I say something funny?" he said stiffly, getting red in the face. He didn't expect this kind of reaction from her at all. By now she was doubled over, tears springing to her eyes. "Gosh," she squeaked out through the laughter, "you don't like me very much, do you?"

She finally rounded off with a sigh. She climbed down the treadmill. "Good. Neither do I." She ran her finger down his arm just to get under his skin. It was working. "But we are teammates now, so sooner or later we'll have to get along. You're going to be seeing me around these parts for quite some time, Christian." Her eyes narrowing dangerously, she poked him hard in the shoulder. "So get used to it."

She then backed off, eyeing him up and down with a smirk. "Run along now," she said sweetly, as if dismissing a servant. She turned away and put her earphones in. She pretended not to take notice of Christian's heaving torso and fuming face, and only relaxed when he stormed out of the gym. She wasn't sure pissing him off was a smart thing, but as she thought before, she never knew what was up his sleeve.

She would just have to wait and see.

"Nothing good showing on TV anymore," Ivory muttered, switching off the TV and tossing the remote control aside. "So, how did the rest of your day go?"

With a tired sigh, Carmen recollected the events of the day as she brushed her hair. She'd finally moved in with Ivory. Lance had taken the eviction rather well. Edge knew everything that was going on, and she couldn't help but feel extremely relieved about it. The signing at the mall went rather well, except for the anonymous hate notes she received from quite a number of pissed-off WWF fans. She didn't mention her encounter with Christian. It wasn't worth it.

"I know, they did the same to me, too," Ivory said, referring to the fans. "Well, something along those lines," she giggled as she reminisced.

Carmen gave her a puzzled look. "I don't see the funny side."

"You will in a few weeks."

"I'll just have to take your word for it."

There was silence for a few seconds. Ivory moved over to Carmen's bed and took the hairbrush from her. Through the mirror she saw the surprise on the young woman's face as she began to help he brush her hair. "Don't worry, I'm not being generous, just bored," she clarified. Carmen chuckled in response.

"So, tell me, Carmen," Ivory began, "Why _did_ you join the Alliance? That was some shockwave you sent through all of wrestling."

Carmen stared ahead of her, trying to compose herself so she would explain herself. "I want the Women's title," she stated. "If defecting would give me the push I need, then so be it. Besides, I was tired of being the "baby" of Team Extreme. Matt and Jeff were too overprotective of me, always worrying about me. I want a name for myself. Well, I do have a name for myself, but I want to be Champion, and I felt like they were concentrating too much on Lita. I was sick of it, honestly. They kept taking me for granted. I've never been a patient person."

Carmen blinked several times, unable to believe she'd actually said all that in one go. But she couldn't help but realize that it was kind of true. Matt and Jeff were always by her side, telling her what to do and what not to do. It had crossed her mind a few times; maybe she was being held back. No female made a bigger impact than hers in her first few months as a professional wrestler. Carmen busted her ass proving herself from the get-go, and yet Matt, and even Jeff, sometimes made her feel like she still wasn't doing enough. Maybe she wasn't doing enough because she was not being allowed to do enough. Deep down, between the two Hardy brothers, she thought they gave Lita priority over her.

She touched the scar on her head. She was disappointed, maybe disgusted with all three of them. Evidently, none of them bothered to give her the benefit of the doubt that there was an ulterior motive to her actions. Matt acted like a General would when his subordinate stepped out of line. She did not know if she would ever forgive him.

She shook out of her reverie before Ivory could suspect anything. "My turn now," she said, steering the conversation away from her. "Why did _you_ join the Alliance?"

The older Diva smiled sadly. "It's somewhere along the lines of your reason. Plus, I was needed here. There was no legitimate threat in the Alliance for the Women's title, except for Jazz and she's injured now. After her, there's just Stacy and Torrie, and, well, I'm not holding my breath."

"You got that right." Carmen muttered. Ivory gave a short laugh, raising up Carmen's hair and brushing underneath.

"But, you were with Right to Censor," Carmen continued. "Steven Richards, Bull Buchanan, the Goodfather, Morley. How the heck did you end up with those guys? They were nut cases."

Ivory stopped the brushing, and Carmen figured she was thinking about her question. "Maybe they were, to a certain extent," the older woman said after a while, resuming her task with Carmen's hair, "but they ended up being virtually the best thing to happen to me. They were my stepping stones. If not for them, I don't even think I'd be where I am right now. They taught me a lot of things, trust me."

Carmen smiled slightly. "Lita, Matt and Jeff helped get me this far, and I love them for it. But I want more. You don't understand how badly I want that title."

"And you're gonna get it," Ivory assured her. "You're confident, and you got skills. Nothing is more important than self-belief. Carmen, I know I never exactly gave you a chance back in the WWF, but I think you can achieve great things here. We'll treat you the way you deserve to be treated." She dropped the brush on the table. "Together, we can make our Women's division greater than it is now. You don't need Lita or the Hardys."

Carmen was taken aback for a minute by Ivory's words. Well, at least the most respected woman in the Alliance, and probably in the wrestling world, was taking her side. She'd definitely need the support if any plans of hers were to progress.

"Thank you Ivory," Carmen replied quietly.

"No problem. Now get some sleep. We have a big day tomorrow."

Carmen got up and went over to her bed and collapsed into it. She was exhausted. "Goodnight, Ivory."

"Goodnight, Carmen," Ivory said, turning off the light.


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: This is a repost. Thanks a bunch for the reviews that have come in so far. Mwah! Mwah! Mwah! Please give more! I'd really appreciate it.**

* * *

**_Chapter 13_**

Carmen swallowed as Diamond Dallas Page stood in front of her, with Chris Kanyon by his side. They were trying to intimidate her. Did she really need this? Out of everybody in the Alliance, these two perverts were the very people she hoped would just walk past her and ignore her. Given DDP's subject of interest in the past few months, Carmen should have known better. Defenseless women were his newfound prey.

"Well, well, look who we have here Kanyon," Page said, looking her up and down. "It's the newAlliancegirl."

"Excuse me," she mumbled and tried to step round them, but she was pushed up against the wall by Kanyon. He put his hands on the wall on either side of her like a barricade. With Page beside her, the two big men surrounded her with somewhat hungry looks on their faces. "You used to be friends with that big red retarded freak, didn't you?" said Kanyon.

"You're one to talk," she replied boldly. How dare they call Kane a retard when DDP was nothing but a sick pervert?

"Hey, relax," Page stopped Kanyon just as he was about to retaliate. "What's the matter? We just want to give you a nice warm welcome to the Alliance."

"I've already _bled_, thank you," she said without humor.

"How about you two back off?" a male voice came up from behind them. She turned round. Shane McMahon and Christian were approaching. Kanyon and Page frowned, annoyed that someone had spoiled their fun, and reluctantly they stalked away.

"Never mind them," Shane said gently to Carmen. "I saw what happened on Smackdown last week. Are you okay?"

She forced a smile. "I'm fine. I've been through worse."

Shane nodded. "Well, it happens, but you just have to watch your back a bit more vigilantly. We all have to-"

"Not that you're doing us any favors by staying alive," Christian added, caustically. Her hands curled into fists as Carmen narrowed her eyes threateningly at him. Did this fool just try to punk her out? Working hard to control herself, she spun on her heel and marched away in the opposite direction. "What the hell is the matter with you?" she could hear Shane reprimanding Christian. She was already out of earshot when the Canadian responded, and she was sure it was just as scornful as his last remark. Not like she ever cared about what he said.

"Well, well, if isn't the spitfire."

Rob Van Dam was approaching her, and she rolled her eyes. Oh, God! Just the person to wrap up the rest of her crappy night.

He put up one hand to placate her, using the other to keep his Hardcore title upon his shoulder. "Look, I just want to talk to you."

Carmen crossed her arms, her countenance skeptical. "About what?"

"Listen, I know we didn't get off to a very good start," he started. Carmen pursed her lips with annoyance. "Oh please. This won't change anything. We're not going to be friends, not now, not ever."

Rob's brows furrowed in annoyance. "Couldn't let me land, could you?"

Shrugging, Carmen answered, "Why? It's not like I give a damn about whatever you have to say." Carmen had a smirk on her face. "Catch ya later, _champ_," And with that, she brushed past him, leaving him standing there.

_Monday Night Raw_

Carmen stood in the middle of the ring, trying to address the fans, but they were not letting her, drowning her vocals with boos. The booing soon morphed into chants of "turncoat!" People had their thumbs turned down.

She rolled her eyes, pretending that the whole thing wasn't affecting her. "Oh, I bet you people loved what Matt Hardy did to me on Smackdown," she said. The fans cheered in response, the "turncoat" chants getting louder.

"Oh please!" she shouted. "You people are so deluded! You have no idea what I went through with them! Matt Hardy doesn't give a damn about anybody but himself and he proved it last Thursday. He got pissed that his little android actually had the guts to break out of his warped little kingdom! Lita only cares about whatever Matt has to say. And Jeff…" she chuckled snidely, "that psychopath can't even think straight if he's less than fifteen feet off the ground!"

There was a shocked "_ohhh_" from the crowd. "Look at you!" she taunted the crowd. "Yeah, you can't handle the fact that life with Team Extreme is not a big fluffy bed of roses, you fickle, primitive morons!"

She could barely hear herself through all the booing. "I busted my ass time and time again ever since I first stepped foot into this ring, and what did I get in return? Nothing! The Hardys worship the ground Lita walks on. They don't care about me. Hell, they don't even respect me! I'm way too talented to waste away in some stable that's bent on holding me back. Everybody knows I'm better than Lita!"

She'd really done it this time. The heckling went up several decibels. "Please! I am the best female talent to grace this ring in years! No female has made as big an impact as I have in their first year in this company! I deserve respect, and I sure as hell deserve some appreciation, and if I'm not getting it from the WWF, then why not go somewhere else?"

She looked directly into the camera. "So thank you Matt. Thank you for showing me the light and for helping me open my eyes, and now you've shown everyone what a self-centered egomaniac you are. Team Xtreme never deserved me and will never be the same _without _me! Now that I got you off my backs, I can finally do what I was born to do; win the WWF Women's Championship and become the greatest female wrestler in history!"

She tossed the mic to the ground and rolled herself out of the ring, marching up out of there with new-found purpose, blocking out the fans' boos. The last laugh belonged to her.

Test was waiting for her in the locker room. "Good job," he said to her. "A bit on the egomaniacal side, but good job no less."

"Thanks," she answered, watching him as he stood up and flexed his biceps. He was up against Matt in a steel cage match. "Now try to play nice, okay?" Carmen teased, patting his huge arm.

Test returned her sinister grin. "Nice? What's that?"

Matt and Jeff Hardy watched Carmen's rant in their locker room, their faces filled with rage and shock respectively. Jeff stared blankly at the TV screen. He felt like a knife had sliced through his chest. Everyone knew Carmen had a viper's tongue, but she was on a roll tonight. Was that what she really thought of him, all these years? A self-destructive retard?

Matt paced around like a madman. "You see that, Jeff?" he cried, pointing at the monitor. "Huh? What did I tell you? She ain't nothin' but a damn backstabber! Do you need any more proof now?" He halted, huffing and puffing. He wanted something to punch, to hurt and maim, and he knew exactly who he was going to take his anger out on.

Test flung Matt around like he was a ragdoll, throwing him back and forth against the cold, brutal steel cage. He flattened the North Carolina native with clotheslines, pump-handle slams and several big boots. Jeff, at ringside for his brother, watched on in frustration. Matt finally started getting some offence going, hitting a series of high-risk moves on the Canadian. He proceeded to toss him to the ropes but Test reversed it. Both men had the same idea to punch the other in the face, and ended up in a head-on collision.

Suddenly the crowd started cheering loudly as Jeff started to climb up the cage. On reaching the top, he then plummeted down into the ring, nailing Test cleanly with the Swanton Bomb and receiving one of the biggest pops of the night. The referee could only look on; it was a no-DQ match after all. Matt had regained his bearings and opted to make his exit through the door. With great effort he began to crawl. Matt was close. Jeff, with no obligation to leave the ring, encouraged his brother. Test was in trouble.

The fans' cheers turned to boos when they spotted Carmen running down the ramp. She ran round towards the entrance of the cage, just as Matt's head was starting to emerge. Carmen grabbed the steel cage door with both hands and swung it with all her might. It smashed into Matt's face, and he crumpled back onto the canvas, knocked out.

Jeff jumped out of the ring, anger filling his handsome face. "What the hell is wrong with you?" he shouted at Carmen. The fans were screaming but she could hear him loud and clear. Her slow backward retreat changed to a hop as Jeff advanced towards her. Test was still down inside the steel cage and in no current condition to help her. Not willing to take a chance, she started to make a run for it, but she'd barely made a move when she heard a whooshing sound. She glanced up and gasping, ducked just as Rob Van Dam sailed over her head. She turned back and found Jeff on the floor at her feet. She stared at her former teammate in shock. The bell suddenly sounded around the arena. Test had escaped the cage. As Carmen went to his aid, her eyes trailed Rob Van Dam's retreating back, heading to the Gorilla, and she wondered what the hell he was doing.


	14. Chapter 14

**DISCLAIMER: I own only Carmen! No one else!**

_**Chapter 14**_

Taker hung up his phone and lay back on the sofa, closely watching the steel cage match on the monitor in the locker room he shared with his wife and his brother.

"You're awfully quiet, Mark," Sara pointed out, sitting on the sofa next to him. "Are you okay?"

He rubbed his face tiredly. "Well, the Alliance is still in business, so no."

Sara nodded in understanding. "So, who was on the phone?" she asked, referring to a few minutes earlier right when she had gone to the bathroom. "It sounded important."

"It was Vince," Taker replied. "He wants to talk to me sometime during the week. But he said he's already thought up an idea for the kind of match he should make for the Women's Championship at Summerslam."

"What's on his mind?"

"A Fatal four-way elimination match. For WWF he's thinking Lita and Jacqueline, and he's sure Ivory and Carmen will represent the Alliance."

Sara's eyes fixed on the TV, watching Carmen escape the ring with Rob Van Dam and Test. Taker noticed her pursed lips, which always indicated worry. "What is it, baby?"

The anxiety she was feeling laced her voice. "If there's anyone the Alliance will be keeping an eye on, it will be Carmen. She stands out because she just broke off with a stable, making her vulnerable. She's already been attacked once. Are we doing enough to protect her?"

"The Alliance will think of something," her husband said. "They must realize that Carmen means business now. She's proving to be very tough and very bitter, and the Alliance will want to use that against us."

Sara sighed. Taker understood her anxiety, but it was a bit too late to start panicking. "Sara, Vince handpicked these guys for a reason. He may be an asshole sometimes, but he's one of the smartest, most calculated people I know. There's no way in hell any of them will mess this up."

"They'd better not," Sara said sharply. "_Your_ job is at stake as well as theirs. Maybe I haven't told you before, but I like that my husband is working."

Those words made the Undertaker to think, and not for the first time either: was this really a smart move putting his future in the hands of others? It irked him to think that maybe with this thing he was inadvertently throwing away his control over his own destiny. What was he going to do if, at the end of the year, he was out of a job, all because he had made what could turn out to be a big mistake?

He hoped to God that he wouldn't live to regret it.

Carmen left Test with the EMT to get her things from the men's locker room. Luckily no one was in there. Her back was turned, and she did not hear when Chris Jericho crept in. He jumped when he spotted Carmen. "Oh shit!"

"What the fuck!" Carmen hissed out loud and whirled around. "Jericho! You scared me!"

"So did you!" he retorted, "Didn't expect to see you here."

"Uh, this _is_ an Alliance locker room!"

"Chill, no one saw me."

"What are _you_ doing here?" she asked.

"Test told me earlier that he got something for me," he explained. "It's a small brown envelope. Check his gym bag."

She did and handed the envelope to Chris, who quickly stuffed it inside his tights, smoothing his Y2J t-shirt over it. "Should I ask?" Carmen said.

"It's a blueprint."

She looked puzzled. "A blueprint?"

"Yeah. This envelope here contains the original blueprint of the latest designs for a new set of Alliance merchandise. Production is yet to commence, so we're planning to sabotage them. I mean, unattractive T-shirts put off the fans, right?"

Carmen could not hold back her giggle. "Wow, hitting it right where it hurts."

The sarcasm was not lost on Y2J. "Hey, you do what you gotta do, right?"

The room went quiet for a few seconds. "You know Matt Hardy wants your head now, right?" Chris said as he watched her pull off her boots. Carmen glanced at the self-proclaimed King of the World. "I was counting on it," she said simply.

"I mean it. This is a pissed-off, psychotic Matt. It's bad enough he did what he did on Smackdown. Vince does want you in one piece for Summerslam. So, what was that about with RVD?" Chris sent her a questioning look, still trying to fathom what he had seen earlier.

"I have no idea," Carmen said, and she honestly didn't. "All I know was that he saved me from a potential ass-kicking."

"Jeff wouldn't have touched you," said Chris.

A lump formed in her throat. "You don't know that," she said weakly.

"Yes I do. I may not like those boys, but I know Jeff is not as barbaric as Matt."

Carmen's shoulders jerked in a shrug. True. But she wasn't about to admit he was right. "Hey, is it true the Rock's coming back?" she said suddenly, remembering a conversation she overheard between Booker T and Rhyno. As part of the Conspirators she expected Chris to have some sort of idea.

Instead, Chris's face twisted into a frown. "So I heard. Goody."

Carmen shot him a puzzled look. "What? Chris, this is terrific news. With him around we'll have more manpower to take on the Alliance."

Y2J's handsome features further hardened. "How are we to know whether he's WWF? For all we know the Alliance has already snapped him up. We can't trust him."

She stared at him in utter confusion, wondering why he was talking like this, and suddenly broke into a huge grin. Of course!

Chris spotted his fellow blonde's brightened face. "What?" he asked, self-consciously. "What's with the goofy face?"

"You're not jealous of the Rock, are you, Jericho?"

Before he could answer, the door flew open, and there stood Test and Booker T. They stared at Y2J and Carmen, both of whom looked like deer caught in the headlights. Test didn't know what Jericho was doing in there with Carmen, but he knew that both of them had to act fast. Luckily, Carmen picked up on his mental drift.

"I won't tell you again, get the hell out!" she spat at Chris, pointing at the door.

"This isn't over, traitor!" he snarled. He then left the room, raising his hands defensively as Test and Booker glared at him. Test then moved to Carmen's side. "You alright?" he asked, to which Carmen nodded.

"Oh, almost forgot," Booker T piped up. "Carmen, Heyman wants to see you in his office."

"Me?" Carmen said, surprised. "What for?"

Booker T shrugged. Rolling her eyes, she marched off towards the ECW co-owner's office. She pushed open the door and Paul Heyman was inside, along with Commissioner Regal and...RVD.

"You wanted to see me?" she asked Heyman, ignoring the Hardcore champion. Heyman was sitting behind his desk, resting his chin on top of his linked fingers. "I've been thinking, Carmen," he said, wearing an exaggerated look of contemplation on his pudgy features. "I'm very concerned about you. I don't like the way you're being targeted as of late. I see you being an asset to this company, and I don't want to see talent of your kind being decimated by the enemy. But watching you two-" he flicked his finger back and forth between her and Van Dam, "-in the ring earlier tonight gave me a brilliant idea. What better way for me to protect you, Carmen, than putting the Hardcore Champion by your side?"

It took mere seconds for Carmen to realize what he was suggesting. She gaped at Heyman, then at Van Dam, then Regal, and back at Heyman. "You gotta be kidding," she said, her voice going up an octave. "Didn't you hear what I said in the ring earlier? I didn't join the Alliance to become a damn lackey!"

"Carmen, don't you realize I'm merely looking out for you? You are an asset to this company. I am protecting you from the likes of your Hardy friends and I'm giving you one of my best men to do that." He gave her a look as if challenging her to defend that rationale. "Besides, I'm your boss and _I_ tell you what to do. I can tell you're match-fit now, after your in-ring antics tonight, so this Thursday on Smackdown, you and RVD will take on Molly and Hardcore Holly in an inter-gender tag team match. Take that down, Regal."

The Englishman nodded. "Of course."

Carmen whirled round to face Rob. "Are you just going to stand there and let this happen?"

"Do I look happy to you?" he retorted, shifting his belt up his shoulders. The detachment with which he addressed her sent Carmen into a fit. "This is your fault!" she cried. "Nobody asked you to show up at ringside!"

Heyman attempted to mediate. "Now, Carmen, that's no way to talk to the Hardcore champion-"

Van Dam simply looked on, amused at how riled up she was. "Trust me," he sneered, "If I knew what I did would land me in this mess, I'd have let Hardy kick your ass. But I'll be a sport and help my boss out with some babysitting."

The _nerve_ of this bastard! "Babysitting, huh? Well, I'll just make things easier for you. I won't do it," she declared decisively, looking at Heyman. "I'm not going to be his valet."

"I don't think you heard me right, Carmen," Heyman said, the niceness evaporating. "It's not a request. It's an _order_. You disobey and I'll see to it that you'll never get a title shot as long as I run ECW!"

Heyman simpered, taking her stunned silence for surrender. "Good to know you've changed your mind," he said. "Now, if there are no other questions, you may leave."

Carmen was shaking with fury. Her hands were practically twitching now, itching for something to strangle, preferably Heyman and that loser RVD.

"Catch ya later, partner," RVD called out to her in a singsong voice as she turned to leave, and Carmen snapped. Snarling wordlessly, she whirled back around and lunged at Van Dam. William Regal grabbed her in mid-air before she could cause any harm. He quickly led her away and opened the door.

Ivory was standing nearby the office. "Take her before she claws someone's eyes out," he instructed Ivory, turning back inside and slamming the door behind him. Ivory had caught the exasperated look on his face, and she didn't need to be in there to guess what had happened. The raven-haired Diva tapped her foot impatiently. "You know Carmen, you don't have to attack everyone that talks to you," she said it as if she was reprimanding a seven-year-old. "Keep going at this rate and you'll be fired before Summerslam."

Carmen brushed past her, refusing to dignify that stupid speech with a retort. Why couldn't the bitch mind her fucking business?

Ivory sighed and shook her head. There was no cure for that kid.


	15. Chapter 15

**DISCLAIMER: I own only Carmen! No one else! I'm not making any profit from this story! **

**Please read and review! I'm beggin' ya! Thank you!**

* * *

They were back at their hotel room. Carmen was painting her toenails. Her exterior seemed relaxed, but her mind was running at a mile a minute. She was very unhappy with that stupid stunt Heyman pulled last night, setting her up with that pompous asshole Rob Van Dam. It was bad enough that she was hanging with Ivory, but being Rob Van Dam's valet? That was _crap_. The fewer Alliance douchebags she associated herself with, the better, Carmen had thought. But now that Heyman did this shit, she was certain that it was going to ruin everything.

Across from her, Ivory was talking to someone on the phone. Carmen paid no attention to what the raven-haired veteran was saying until she heard the words "new Commissioner". Her curiosity went up a notch. When Ivory hung up, Carmen, not looking up from her DIY pedicure stated casually, "pretty long phone call."

Ivory picked up a magazine and threw both her legs on the bed. "Yeah, that was Lance. Apparently, rumor has it we might have a new Commissioner pretty soon."

Now Carmen's interest really perked up, but she kept it laid-back, as planned. "What? Like replace William Regal? But why would Shane and Stephanie do that? I think he's been doing fine."

"So do I, Carmen," the former Right to Censor member agreed, "but we don't know if it's for sure. Maybe it's to scare the WWF a little bit, who knows? I'm guessing we'll find out soon enough."

With that, she opened a magazine and buried her nose in it. Carmen didn't like this. William was quite nice to her and even in the short time she'd spent with the Alliance, he usually let her have her way. Why change him? It was like someone was out there thwarting everything that was going right for the blonde Diva. Carmen was about to question Ivory some more when her phone rang off shrilly in her ears, startling her. "Jesus," she muttered, reaching for her phone and looking at it. It was a text message from Chris Jericho.

_Meeting, DM's room. 10 mins._

Dead Man's room. That was three floors away. How was she going to make it that far without being spotted? There was only one way to find out.

"I feel like a soda," she announced after a while, going for the door. "Do you want anything?"

"No thanks," the raven-haired woman answered, not looking up from her magazine. Good, Carmen thought as she left. It didn't look like she suspected anything.

On getting to Undertaker and Sara's room, Carmen looked around cautiously before knocking on the door. Jericho opened it. "You're late."

"Try moving around like an untrained Marine and see if you'll be early," Carmen replied, stepping into the room. Undertaker, Kane, Albert and Test and were also in the hotel room. The bed and the chairs were taken. So she found an improvised seat…on Kane's lap. "You don't mind, do you, big boy?" she asked sweetly, playfully fluttering her lashes at him. He may be the Big Red Machine, but she knew that underneath all of that was a red-blooded man.

There was a long pause from him. "Not at all," he replied in a surprising steady voice.

"Where's Sara?" Carmen asked the Undertaker, making herself comfortable upon Kane's thighs.

"She left for home early," the Houston native replied. "She had some stuff to do. She'll be back in a few days," he answered. Carmen gave him a puzzled look. "What? You mean you left her all alone with Page still running around? Isn't that a little risky?"

Undertaker's fists clenched and unclenched, but he kept his voice calm. "She insisted. You know how she can be. But I trust she _will_ be fine. She'll call me if she's having any trouble. Now to business." The Dead Man leaned forwards on his seat. "Shane and Stephanie McMahon are back from whatever shithole they crawled out from in two days," the veteran informed them, "and we hear they may have brought a new addition to the Alliance."

"Someone's defecting again?" asked Albert.

"No," said Carmen. "Someone's going to take over the Commissioner spot from William Regal. Ivory just told me, and Lance told her. But they don't seem to know who it is."

"Are you serious? Regal is being replaced?" Test said. "Is that a smart move?"

Taker rubbed his large hands together. "I'm not so sure myself, Test. But it is a move."

"Does Vince know who it is?" Carmen asked. Chris shook his head. "No, he and Linda are still working on it, but for Shane and Stephanie to replace Regal, that must mean the new Commissioner will be a really, really influential guy in this business."

"The Alliance consists of some hard-ass thugs," said Albert. "I don't see how anyone taking over from Regal could handle them all."

"That's why I think it's Austin," Test piped up. An uncomfortable sensation swooped within Carmen. Undertaker opposed his guess. "He's not due to return for another two weeks. Besides, it may be someone that's_ in_ the Alliance at this very moment."

"I've got this feeling it will be Van Dam," Albert stated. "He's pretty tight with both the ECW owners. Looks like a shoe-in for the post."

"_Aaah_!" Carmen interjected, making the "game show" buzzer sound. "My uncle's Chihuahua is more intimidating than that crack-head. Next!"

Chris Jericho, Albert and Test stared at her in amazement. Kane's shoulders shook lightly, like he was laughing. "Besides," she went on, "he's too busy concentrating on retaining his Hardcore title. I don't think he'd want to take the job."

"Well, _whoever_ it will be," Taker said, "we need to be wary of 'em. This may just change our course of action, more likely for the worse. Assuming Foley decides to retire now, the Alliance Commissioner will assume the right to oversee activities going on in both camps."

"But that doesn't make sense, does it?" Carmen complained. "We might as well give them all our internal memos right now then."

"Well, unfortunately those are the rules until someone in the WWF finds a loophole to counter them. Thankfully Foley isn't retiring any time soon." Undertaker looked over at Albert and Test. "_If_ the rumors are true about the new Commissioner, the Alliance will have to hold a meeting some time soon. Whatever you learn back there, you know what to do with it."

Carmen nodded. "Sure thing, Chief."

"And speaking of Van Dam," Taker looked over at Carmen, "I don't want to hear you're picking fights again with him or any of the Alliance members. Don't you think it's a bit too early for that?"

"It's not _my_ fault Van Dam's a complete idiot," Carmen argued with a smirk.

"You better cut out whatever beef you got with him. You're his valet now-" Carmen rolled her eyes, a gesture Taker chose to ignore, "-so things should change if you want to get anything out of him. I know it's not what you want, but suck it up, okay? It's just a temporary thing, so get it done and over with. Got me?"

She saw the warning look in Taker's eyes and sighed. "Fine…you're no fun."

"You all just make sure you've got your eyes and ears open for anything that may be of help to us. Good job so far, guys. And with that said, I think I should let you all hit the sack. Carmen, keep us briefed."

"Definitely." Carmen eyed all of them for a moment, and headed out the door first. When she was gone, Taker leaned back in his seat. "So, what do you guys think of the kid?"

"Carmen?" Jericho said, "I've supported her inclusion from the start. She's excellent."

"But she's gotta watch her temper, man," said Albert, "she's one hell of a firecracker." Jericho rolled his eyes. "Yes, Albert. Point out the one issue that cannot be solved by mere human logic!"

Albert scowled at the Ayatollah of Rock 'n' Rollah. "Carmen's doing great, Taker," said Test, "but that thing is tearing her up inside."

Undertaker gave him a puzzled look. "What thing?"

"The thing that happened with Matt. It's still trapped somewhere in her psyche. I'm not saying it's thrown her off her game completely, but I'm worried it might in the long run."

"Stop…" Kane spoke up, causing all the occupants of the room to stare at him. Typically, he hadn't said a single word since the meeting commenced, so everyone was interested in his view. The masked man looked around, and spoke again.

"Stop worrying about her," he said clearly. "She hates that. She'll get over it and get on with it."

"Kane's right," Chris added, "we all should stop worrying about her. She knows what she's doing. We'll try harder to keep interferences away from her. That should be enough for now."

Albert looked at his watch. "I've got to get going. I'm supposed to meet up with the Dudleys."

That more or less broke up the meeting, as Jericho followed suit soon after him, leaving Test, Taker and Kane alone in the room.

"Another thing, Taker," Test said quietly to the Dead Man with a big frown on his face, "I don't trust that dude Van Dam."

The intensity in Test's eyes got Taker's attention. "What about him?"

"To be honest I don't really know, but I can feel it. Something's up with him and Heyman. It's like they're planning something but I just don't know what."

Taker watched the Canadian, nodding slowly. "That's one reason why we put you in there, Test. Find out everything you can. As for Van Dam, watch him more closely now that Carmen's been paired with him. And if he tries anything with her, we'll be on him in a second."

Test nodded and shook Taker's hand. "Not if I get to him first. And it won't be a pretty sight when I'm through with him."

Taker allowed himself a lopsided grin. See? His wife had absolutely nothing to worry about.

* * *

**A/N: But are we so sure about that? Find out in the next chapter! Please review!**


	16. Chapter 16

**DISCLAIMER: As usual, I own only Carmen! Again, please review after reading!**

_**Chapter 16**_

Carmen agreed, reluctantly, to be training with RVD at one of the local gyms. She supposed that if they were to work together, they had to practice together.

She watched, arms crossed and eyebrow raised, as Rob perched on top of two lockers in a perfect split, his arms moving in perfect sync as he meditated. "You're gonna fall and break your neck," she said.

RVD snorted. "Me? Nah. I'm R-V-D, the whole "damn" show…"

"Spare me the intro, judo boy," she cut him off sharply, gesturing with her hand. "I know exactly who you are."

"Do you act like this towards everyone you meet for the first time?" he asked her.

"Nope, just people I don't trust," she replied. "I like to be upfront, you know?"

Rob smirked. "Just the way I like it."

Carmen ducked her head as she felt the heat wash over her face. She lifted her purple tank top so it ended underneath her breasts, and knotted it. She looked back up and hesitated as she watched Rob absorb her toned, athletic body with approving eyes. Growing uncomfortable, she cleared her throat loudly, snapping him out of his trance. "Are we doing this or what?" she asked as she entered the ring.

Shaking his head quickly, he got down from the locker and went into the ring. "Okay! I'm ready."

He barely saw it coming, but he still managed to dodge as Carmen's taped fist swiped at him, barely missing his head. "What the-"

"Oh, I'm sorry," Carmen gasped, feigning surprise, "I thought you said you were ready."

"Nice try," he remarked, steadying himself.

"You ain't seen nothin' yet," she replied, bouncing on her toes and beckoned at him. "Come on, judo boy! Or are you afraid of losing to a girl?"

He hooted loudly. She was kidding, right? "Oh, you're on!"

They spent an hour-and-a-half treating each other to bout after bout, showing off their skills and finishing moves. She noted how impressed Rob seemed, which was good. It was not lost on her that he was one of the big dogs in the Alliance and she planned to get him on her side.

"So, did you really get sick of sharing the spotlight with Lita, or did they kick you out?" Rob asked after practice, sending her a curious glance as he sipped out of his water bottle.

"If you think you're going to get some sappy Hallmark story from me, sorry to disappoint," she answered.

Rob shrugged. "I didn't ask for one. I'm just curious. Why did you leave? From what I was seeing, you were getting a decent enough push."

"Exactly. From what _you_ were seeing. You didn't see Matt trying to hold me back. You didn't see how many times he kept telling me and Lita to put the team before our personal interests." Wow. This lie was rolling off her tongue more easily now. She shook her head, staring at the towel in her hands. "I'm at the top of my game. I don't need nobody cramping my style. Maybe Lita will stand for it, but I won't. So here I am with the Alliance."

Rob leaned towards her. "Well, I'm glad you came over. You'll be great here."

Carmen rolled her eyes to deflect the warmth that flowed through her. "Of course, you got a shiny new minion."

"You could do a lot worse than me, Carmen," he pointed out patiently.

Carmen scoffed. She knew that Rob was very aware of his status within the Alliance. "Way to compliment yourself there."

"Hey, I call it like I see it." The Hardcore Champion shrugged. "So what's the issue about coming with me to the ring? You accompanied the Hardys a lot."

"They are…_were_ my friends. And I got to get my hands dirty every once in a while."

"Who said you won't this time? I'll let you get some matches in too. We got similar styles anyway-"

"Correction, judo boy," Carmen interrupted, appearing offended. "I think I just proved to you that I'm a _wrestler_. Sure, I do a bit of kickboxing and gymnastics, but I actually wrestle."

Rob grimaced. "Ooh, that's cold. I love it when a girl talks dirty."

He shot her a knowing look, and Carmen did not know what to make of it. "Whatever floats you boat, judo boy," she countered. "Anyway, let me set some ground rules here. I got a Championship to win. Do not distract me, and I won't distract you. We're professionals, and we'll keep it that way. Am I clear?"

RVD put his hands up, chuckling. "Crystal."

He seemed serious, and it caused a sense of satisfaction to wash over Carmen. At least she'd shown him she wasn't messing around.

When Undertaker came into Vince McMahon's office, the first thing he noticed about the WWF chairman was that he looked like he hadn't slept in years. But knowing his boss, sleep had become a luxury. Until the Alliance was purged from his system, everything else would stay secondary.

"Take a look at this," he said to Taker, handing the letter-headed paper across the rich, huge mahogany desk to Taker. Undertaker's eyes scanned the letter line by line. "Austin wants a number-one contender for the WWF Championship by the time he returns," he surmised. "From WWF."

"He's not mentioned the date. And if we don't find anyone before he gets back, then he's going to keep the title within the Alliance for good."

Undertaker narrowed his eyes. "He can't do that, can he?"

"I couldn't stop him then, and I still can't. He's no longer on my payroll, and I know the Alliance is doing everything to protect him." Vince sighed, his breath rattling with fatigue and despair. "I have to do something, Taker. Do you have any idea how much it will kill me to see all my years of hard work fall into the hands of those second-rate nobodies?"

He gripped the edge of his desk so hard his knuckles turned white. "How soon can we get Rock back?" the American Bad Ass asked, seemingly unmoved by his boss's rant.

"He's still stalling," Vince said miserably. "And Austin's trying to spring a surprise on us. I don't know what else to do."

"You know my brother and I are going after the WCW Tag Team titles, so that leaves me out. Jericho can take on Austin."

Vince was deep in thought. "I'll consider all options," he finally concluded.

Taker placed the letter on the table and slid it back to Vince with a gloved finger. "You'd better, and fast. Austin ain't bluffing. Remember, he's the one with the gold."

"Yes." He didn't need the Dead Man to remind him that whoever had the gold had the power. What was scary was that that same power was now threatening to wipe their beloved company off the face of the earth.

"The guys are heading out for a couple of beers," Ivory said to Carmen that evening. "Wanna come?"

And run into WWF vigilantes? Hell no! Besides, she was wiped out from her practice session with Rob. "Uh, I don't think so-"

"Come on. How else are you gonna relax? It's a 'welcome' party, anyway. Get dressed!"

Carmen thought it through. Party, huh? This was the chance to find out whether those rumors Taker talked about were true, and what better way to extract information than when they were in a state of inebriation? It would be perfect.

"Fine, I'd better have fun tonight," Carmen answered with indifference.

The older woman's upper lip twitched. "Oh, you will."

"Test!" Carmen knocked on his door half an hour later. "Open up. It's Carmen."

Test answered, and his eyes widened. "Whoa…pretty," he commented.

She cocked an eyebrow. She actually thought she was dressed down in a simple black top, jeans and black boots. "You should see what Ivory's wearing," she said. "Please tell me you're coming."

He looked like he was. His pastel green Polo shirt and long chinos were crisp. "Do I have a choice?" the big man answered. "It's not like I can hide."

"Besides, we might find out about those rumors Taker was talking about," she said in a hushed voice.

Test snorted. "More importantly, I could do with some alcohol."

Carmen laughed and linked her arm with his. "Come on, big guy. Let's go make some new friends."

The bar was in a rather remote area, and it even looked kind of run down. Carmen looked around to see if anyone was voicing out the concerns she mentally harbored. No. In fact, the rest of them filed into the building like they came here every day. The room they entered was dark and stuffy, cobwebs everywhere. Every Alliance member was present but the silence in the room was deafening.

"This place is creepy," Carmen whispered. "Who in their right mind comes here to party?"

Test suddenly stopped in his tracks. "Hold up," he breathed, grabbing her arm as sudden realization hit him. "What's today?"

"Fourteenth or something," said Carmen vaguely, nearly jumping out of her skin as suddenly four dark hooded figures glided through the door and stood in front of the room. They brushed their hoods over their heads, revealing William Regal, Shane and Stephanie McMahon and Paul Heyman.

"This isn't a party," Test said, his voice thick with dread. "This is an initiation ceremony."

"_What_?" Carmen was horror-stricken.

"I heard that back in WCW one took place randomly in the middle of every month," he said. Even through the darkness he could see her face had drained of color. "Hey, don't panic on me now."

Panic? She was seconds away from totally freaking out!

"Welcome," proclaimed Paul Heyman, his voice piercing the silence. "The Alliance is growing stronger. We have given the WWF a serious wake-up call. We have struck fear to the hearts of their fans. At last, they have taken us seriously. The WWF have been in power for too long. Only we can put a stop to their monopoly."

"Tonight marks the return of one of our own," Stephanie spoke now. "Back and fully fit, he is going to take the reins once again and lead us forward to fulfill our destiny. We are ecstatic to welcome back our leader, the WWF champion…"

A familiar face barged through the door before he finished. Loud whispers erupted in the room. Test growled like a caged animal. Carmen's stomach dropped like an anvil. _Oh my God._

It was Stone Cold Steve Austin.

**A/N: Aaaah! As Jim Ross would say: Stone Cold! Stone Cold! Stone Cold! The Rattlesnake! The ceremony is not over! What's going to happen? Find out in chapter 17!**


	17. Chapter 17

_**Chapter 17**_

It was like her nightmare had sprung to life. There he was standing at the door, bald head, leg braces and everything, two weeks ahead of schedule. She squeezed her eyes shut and opened them again. He was still there. She could feel the steel chairs smashing on her back again, the kicks to her ribs, the Stunners. And here she was pretending to be on his side. Carmen suddenly felt faint.

"I ain't got no time for no bullshit!" he barked. The sound of his voice in her ears made everything more real for Carmen. "Where the new recruits at? I want 'em all out here, right now."

Test, Albert, Carmen and two others filed out, including a scrawny little blond kid who could not have been older than twenty-one. Carmen didn't know his name. She'd seen him being hassled by the likes of Booker T and Hugh Morrus a couple of times.

Shane's voice seemed to reverberate around the entire building as he said: "The time has come for all of you to prove your loyalty to us."

Suddenly Carmen's entire body was burning, from her toes to her blonde hair. She couldn't even scream because the painful, mind-numbing sensation seemed to be ridding her of her voice. White light glowed brightly in the back of her eyes. Then just as quickly the horrible burning left her. Her body weight failed her, and she collapsed to her knees. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Test and the other newcomers in the same way. Shane, Stephanie, Regal and Heyman had crept up behind each of them and electrocuted them with Tasers. Their disarming was deliberate. The weaker they were, the more likely they would be to buckle under the incoming pressure. Austin bent down to face all of them.

"Who do you work for?"

There was tense, confused silence at first, but Albert was first to answer. "The Alliance", he said, his voice weak from the electric shock.

"Are you WWF?"

Before Carmen could even answer, the current surged through her again. Stephanie grinned madly above her, clearly enjoying herself. Carmen fell on her face, shaking. "No," she managed to say.

She gasped loudly as freezing cold water was dumped on her head, drenching her from head to toe. Austin was now screaming the question at the top of his lungs. Stephanie squatted behind Carmen and fisted her hair, yanking her head back. Coughing and spluttering, she caught the electricity flickering through the small device in Stephanie's clutches. If that thing touched her again there was no way she would survive it.

Austin crouched down, coming face to face with her. Carmen scowled through her damp hair at the bald man. She was very weak, but she refused to be intimidated. "No!" she said, keeping her voice as calm as she could.

Austin broke into a huge smile as he watched her shiver from the cold. Carmen heard Test growl again, but she kept her eyes away from his. This was not the arena to be playing hero. When he got tired of her Austin moved along, swooping down on the kid. Heyman had shocked him three times, more than anybody else, and was now aiming for the fourth prod.

"I'm gonna ask ya one more time!" he snarled in the young boy's face. "Are you a mole?"

The boy spluttered an answer, then he screamed as Heyman struck again. "Are you WWF?" Austin yelled in the boy's face. Heyman had not even let him answer before he Tasered the poor boy again.

"Are you WWF?"

"Yes!"

The room fell silent. Heyman's hand stopped mid-prod. Carmen's head whipped round to face the kid who had spoken. He couldn't be serious. He was obviously saying so just so that they would stop torturing him. What a mistake he had made. "Yes, yes, I am," he whispered shakily.

Austin circled the shivering boy. "What's ya name, kid?" he said to him, more like an order than a request.

"Zachary," the young man answered. It was evident to everyone gathered that he was a total wimp, and Austin's features resembled that of a shark smelling blood. He smiled cynically. Shivers went through Carmen's spine, and it wasn't just from the cold anymore.

Austin backed away and looking at the rest of the Alliance members, he said:

"I rule this damn organization!" he said, his gruff voice cutting through the eerie silence. "Everyone in this room answers to me! Ya wanna know what will happen to ya when ya don't? What? Let me give ya a demonstration!"

He suddenly grabbed Zachary and gave him a Stone Cold Stunner. He then threw him viciously to the ground. He signaled for Tazz, Tommy Dreamer and Hugh Morrus. All three of them began to beat on him, each blow more merciless than the previous one. Carmen couldn't stomach the savagery anymore. She tore her eyes away from the gruesome scene, trying to block out Zachary's anguished cries to no avail.

"This is exactly what will happen to anyone who is disloyal to me," Austin cried, pointing at the carnage taking place in front of him as he paced madly. "The same thing that will happen to you and to all them bastards in the WWF. You don't mess with Stone Cold Steve Austin and get away with it! I will stomp a mud hole in your ass and walk the damn thing dry!"

Stephanie McMahon's grin was about to split her face open. Zachary was rapidly disintegrating into a bloody pulp. Carmen turned her head, and her eyes connected with Austin's dark, flinty ones. Her insides knotted in several places with trepidation. Their beef was not over, and Austin was using this poor kid to remind her. If she was seeing her possible future through Zachary, it wasn't going to be pretty.

Back in the sanctuary of their hotel room, Carmen sat shivering, in shocked silence. She had hot water running in the bath, but she did not think it would ever wash away the humiliation she was feeling right that moment. She still couldn't believe what she'd endured; being electrocuted, literally water-boarded, kneeling, trembling and wet, in front of Steve Austin like a dog. Oh, Stacy and Torrie had a good giggle at her expense. She saw them. But at least she'd been spared the beating handed to Zachary. Ivory lazed around in her bed like she'd just returned from a party. Carmen knew the older woman had deliberately kept it from her, not giving Carmen time to get mentally prepared.

"Why didn't you tell me this was going to happen?" she asked, intrigued to hear what she had to say, and at the same time trying to contain herself so she would not blow up on the older woman.

"I wasn't supposed to say anything to you," Ivory calmly replied. "It's called the element of surprise."

"Oh yeah, great surprise," Carmen replied bitterly, "Fantastic surprise. I couldn't have asked for a better welcome to the Alliance."

This time Ivory sat up, and glaring at her roommate, said, "Come on, Carmen! Did you really think pulling a few cool moves on Trish Stratus or the Hardys or Edge was really going to suffice? I know you've not been in this business too long but even you can't be that naïve. You're going to have to prove yourself a few more times, Carmen. If you got a problem with that, take it up with the powers that be. But if you don't, you just do your best and hope they turn out satisfied, or you're in for a rough ride, honey."

Carmen frowned. So getting twenty-four stitches to the head was not enough either? She'd kind of expected Ivory to be aloof about this, but it surprised her nonetheless. The naivety factor had been played again. She should have known better than to put her hopes on a few good deeds. Obviously things didn't work like that around here. Well, she had a lot of time to get used to it.

Taking her phone with her, Carmen entered the bathroom, locked it, and ran the shower so that Ivory wouldn't know what she was doing. She punched the buttons on her phone furiously, and once she was done, deleted the message.

The news of Stone Cold Steve Austin's premature return reached the Undertaker even before the Alliance initiation ceremony had commenced. He had just got off the phone with Vince, who informed him. The phone slipped from his hand and clattered onto the table. He set his huge tattooed elbow on the table, his hand covering his mouth, his body swaying back and forth.

In his room, Edge swiftly sat up in his bed, his eyes nearly bulging at the message sent by Carmen. The gravity of the chaos that was to follow in the coming weeks hit him like a chair shot to the head. "Holy shit!"

Kane sensed his brother's distress at once. His brother had not said a word since he hung up his phone. "What is it, Taker?"

Undertaker slowly turned to face the Big Red Machine.

"Austin's back."

**A/N: Ooh, the dreaded Austin has returned. What's going to happen to Carmen and her title hopes? What do you guys think? Please let me know. Thanks!**


	18. Chapter 18

_**Chapter 18**_

By the next morning the news of Steve Austin's early return, as well as his written stipulation to his rivals, had gone round the entire WWF roster, delivering shockwaves with it. Vince tried not to panic, but he was furious. He did not like the way his children kept outsmarting him like this. It was degrading. He raised them, for God's sake! There was still time to find a suitable number-one contender. He was determined to put a stop to Austin keeping that title. Without it, Austin was nothing. He had to see to it that it turned out that way.

His beloved company depended on it.

_Smackdown_

"Where is this guy's locker room?" Carmen said aloud in frustration. Her match with RVD against Hardcore and Molly was in less than ten minutes, and she was yet to see him that evening, partly because she seemed to be able to find everyone else's locker room apart from his. The initiation ceremony last night had put her in a terrible mood. She wanted to kick Rob's ass for interfering in Jeff Hardy's match earlier in the evening and messing it up for him. But as it was nowadays, she couldn't do that. She was an Alliance member now.

"Hey!" she called a stagehand, "you know where RVD's locker room is?"

"Uh…right behind you," he quickly answered. Carmen turned, and sure enough, she had missed the nameplate on the door. Not bothering to thank the man, she went over to it, pushing it open. The first thing she noticed was how snazzy it was; en suite, TV and sofa. Obviously the Alliance made sure he was taken care of everywhere he went. The second thing she noticed was that the Hardcore champion was in the room, but he was not alone. Stacy Keibler was in there with him, sitting on his lap and fawning over him. She looked up at the interruption, and on spotting the former Team Xtreme member, she frowned.

"What is _she_ doing here?" Stacy said, getting up from Rob's lap. Carmen frowned. She could quite not explain the strange feeling that was coursing through her that very moment, but she shook it off. She crossed her arms. "I understand that you may not be bright so I'll speak slowly. I…have a match…with Van Dam…in ten minutes. See? Ten…minutes…" she counted her fingers.

Stacy's hatred for the other blonde woman was clearly written on her face. "I don't know who you think you are, but you do not talk to me like that!"

Carmen marched up to her. Despite being taller, Stacy quivered under her scorching gaze. "I'm in a very bad mood, Stacy. You mess with my time again I'll break you in half. Now get out."

Stacy looked just about ready to kill. She stormed out of the room in a huff. Rob came up to Carmen. "Someone got up on the wrong side of bed this morning," he asked.

Carmen raised an eyebrow. "Oh, I'm sorry; did you have a problem with me kicking her out? I mean, I could call her back. She could be your tag team partner tonight. I'd pay good money to see her ass get whipped by Molly Holly."

With a chuckle, Rob shook his head. "You wish. Stacy may be good for a lot of things, but wrestling? I highly doubt it. I'm sorry about last night, by the way," he said, inspecting her. "How are you feeling?"

The feel of his hand on her skin, and the concern in his eyes made her insides tingle. Alarm bells rang in her head, and she drew back sharply. "You're not ready for our match," she snapped, "Yet you found time to screw up Jeff Hardy's match! Priorities, Van Dam!"

Carmen gulped as Rob took off his shirt, revealing his toned physique. "Isn't Hardy a thing of the past? You're _my_ valet now."

"I am nobody's valet!"

He shrugged. "Whatever you say."

She clenched her fists, utterly irritated. "Fuck you."

He winked at her. "Anytime, beautiful. Anytime."

Carmen stuck her tongue in her cheek to keep from screaming. It was evident that Rob Van Dam did not take her seriously. How could she possibly work with this guy? She turned on her heel and stalked out, cursing under her breath. She wished she was with Test, but he seemed to be aligning himself with Bubba Ray and D'Von nowadays. Van Dam's head so far up his ass, it was unbelievable. But there was no denying he was talented. Training with him showed her a lot. And after watching him display that flexibility of his, she could only imagine what he would be like in…

_Jesus, Carmen_, she berated herself, horrified that such thoughts had actually run through her mind, _now_ you're _the pervert_ …

"Yep, and the bastard don't even know." Diamond Dallas Page's voice suddenly became audible. _Speak of the devil_.

She realized almost too late that he was coming her way. She managed to quickly hide behind a large prop trunk which obscured her from view perfectly.

"It's much better than the others. This time, Kanyon, we're not just gonna put it on air, we'll sell it," he continued, "Think about it, the money will be coming in like crazy."

"No fair! I wanna see!" whined Kanyon.

"Patience, my friend. I hid it in our locker room. You just have to wait till we get back to the hotel. Now come on."

Carmen heard their footsteps as they went past the prop trunk. She had known Sara would not be safe by herself. Now Page had made more tapes and was planning on selling them. Taker and Sara would be crushed to bits if that happened.

She ensured that no one else was in sight before making a beeline for Kanyon and DDP's locker room. She spied a video camera inside one locker and went for it. She opened it. The tape was inside. She pressed the PLAY button, and needed just the first ten seconds to know what was in it before she cut it off abruptly. Yep, it was Sara all right. This DDP was a real scumbag. She wrapped the camcorder over a dry towel she found and snuck back out.

"Carmen?"

She shrieked, jumping about a foot in the air, but gasped with relief when she realized it was just Edge. She sucked in deep breaths, willing her heart back into her chest. "Don't do that again!"

"Okay, okay! Sorry." The tall man studied her anxious face. "The initiation," he began, "Are you okay?"

"You see me standing here, right?" she said. She looked around her cautiously before opening up the towel. "Look what I found in DDP's locker room."

A camcorder stared back at him. The knowing look on her face told him everything. His eyes widened. "Shit. Not another Sara tape."

"Yes it is. And apparently, this is more explicit than the last, and he's planning on selling it. Talk about voyeurism of the greatest proportions."

"You're not kidding," Edge said, scratching his head in disbelief. "So, what are you gonna do?"

"That's not up to me," she told him, handing the towel to him. Edge understood and took it. "You got it. Good luck with your match tonight."

"Thanks." _I'll need it_, she thought dryly. Her ears suddenly perked up as she heard footsteps. "Someone's coming. I'd better go. Don't forget..." she pointed at the item in Edge's hand, and he flashed a thumbs-up before slinking away. Rob emerged from around the corner. "Where have you been?" he asked her. "We're up in less than a minute. Come on."

The match was high-energy, high-tempo. Carmen and Molly laid it on thick, both Divas exchanging headlocks, arm drags and hip tosses all around the ring. Molly picked her up to power-slam her, but Carmen countered with a head scissors takedown. She proceeded to tag Rob just as Molly got Hardcore in. They too went at it, trading moves and blows before Hardcore Irish-whipped RVD to the ropes. As he charged Rob kicked his face. Hardcore clutched at his face, but as Rob came for him he and knocked him down with a massive clothesline. He tried to get a pin, but Rob kicked out. Carmen clapped her hands with encouragement. Rob connected with the Rolling Thunder on Hardcore, and then tagged Carmen. By this time, Molly was willing Hardcore to get up so she could get the tag. Carmen ricocheted off the ropes and knocked Molly off the apron with an elbow to the face. She sped back towards Rob, whose hands were held out, his fingers linked. Carmen placed her foot into his hands and he boosted her into the air. She flipped backwards in a Moon Sault and landed squarely on top of Hardcore. The crowd cheered with approval, captivated by the unique teamwork. She hooked his leg, and used the ropes for leverage. With the ref oblivious to the cheat, she got the pin.

"Here are your winners, Carmen and Rob Van Dam!"

Rob took her arm and raised it in the air before gathering her into his arms for a hug, shocking the hell out of her. She tried pulling away from him, but her body rebelled. She found herself savoring the smell of his cologne, absorbing the warmth of his body...

Suddenly, Rob jerked violently forward, knocking Carmen onto the canvas and making her roll out of the ring. She started to crawl back up the apron, and catching a glimpse of the intruder, her eyes widened.

It was Jeff Hardy, coming to get some retribution for what RVD did to him during his own match. He had a steel chair in his hand, waiting as Rob slowly got to his feet.

"Van Dam!" Carmen called out, scrambling back into the ring as Jeff raised the chair above his head. If he connected with that chair shot, RVD would be knocked straight into a coma, or worse. "Van Dam, look out!"

Right before the younger Hardy brought down the chair, she pushed Rob out of the way, practically tackling him to the ground, and she heard the chair hit the canvas with full force.

Suddenly, a rush of pain soared through her left ankle. She could barely stand on it. The Hardcore champion noticed her limping. Swiftly, he scooped her into his arms and rushed up the ramp, leaving a stunned Jeff Hardy alone in the middle of the ring.


	19. Chapter 19

_**Chapter 19**_

"I know what I'm doing, Carmen, calm down!"

Rob kicked open his locker room door and set Carmen down on the bench. "I will not calm down!" she protested. "I need a doctor! Take me to an EMT."

"In a minute, Your Majesty," he said sarcastically. He knelt down in front of her and gently pulled off her boot and sock. Carmen could practically hear her ankle throbbing. Rob let out a low whistle as he took in the magnitude of the swelling. "I know just the thing."

Carmen watched curiously as he rummaged through his duffel bag and brought out a small tub. He opened it, and it contained some translucent substance resembling aloe. She winced at the smell. It definitely did not smell like aloe. "What's that?"

"It's a lotion I learned how to make when I was in Japan," he explained, a tinge of pride in his tone. "Really effective stuff."

He had barely touched her when she flinched. "Hey, relax," he soothed. He spread the gel over her ankle, massaging it gently. There was silence as he tended to her ankle. Her eyes roamed over his face, liking what she saw. He was quite good-looking, to be perfectly honest. She liked the way his loose brown hair fell over his eyes. He had soft brown eyes, but she had seen them harden once or twice, especially when he concentrated or was annoyed. She watched his hands as they worked on her ankle. They were pretty big hands. Big hands allegedly meant big-

"There. All done," Rob said, snapping her back to reality. He let go of her foot. "Now see if it still hurts."

Carmen gingerly rotated her foot. "Hey, what do you know? The pain's gone," she said, amazed. "Thanks."

There was silence again, this time a rather awkward one, neither of them knowing what next to say.

Rob found his voice first. "What you did tonight…" He turned his attention from her foot to her face, looking into her eyes. Carmen shook her head, feeling the heat creep up her neck. "Forget about it," she mumbled.

"No," he said rather fiercely, his eyes showing the same intensity. "I was supposed to protect you and I didn't. I'm sorry."

She stared at him. He really was beating himself up about this. "Rob, you don't have to-"

It was then she realized that he was actually positioned between her legs. Her blue eyes gazed into his dark ones, and she could not prevent the tiny gasp that escaped her lips. She knew that look anywhere. So many other men had looked at her that way, but her own reaction was different this time. Inexplicably, butterflies began to flutter in her stomach. Her mouth went dry when Rob started leaning towards her. She was sure he could hear her heart pounding as he got closer. She could literally count every one of his eyelashes now…

There was a knock on the door, startling Carmen. Rob casually ducked his head to pick up his tub of lotion just as Ivory walked in. She was dressed in her street clothes, holding Carmen's belongings. "You have got to be the most accident-prone woman I know, Carmen," she scolded. If she'd seen anything when she came in, she didn't show it. "Are you okay?"

Jumping to her feet, Carmen flashed Ivory an awkward smile. "Been better, trust me." Not meaning to, she snatched her bag from her fellow Alliance colleague. Thank God the woman couldn't see her burning cheeks. "I'll just…take a shower now."

In a flash, she strode into the room she was referring to, and locking the door behind her, she leaned against it and ran a hand across her face. She'd nearly kissed Rob! What in the world was she thinking? She definitely didn't know, but what she did know was that she had to get those thoughts out of her head, and fast.

Jeff Hardy wandered around, his mind completely occupied with all the events of the past weeks, and especially this night. Firstly, Rob Van Dam had screwed him out of a victory over Rhyno, and naturally, he decided to return the favor. He'd intended to take off the Hardcore champion's head and provoke him into setting up a match for the Hardcore Championship at Summerslam. What he didn't intend was for Carmen to get hurt. He saw how she risked her body for Van Dam. If bashing Matt's brains in with the steel cage door didn't clear his doubts about her allegiances before, tonight did.

But what if Carmen got in the way of his regaining the Hardcore title? He didn't know what he'd do. He didn't want _anything_ to happen to her. He wasn't like Matt. She may have defected and said all those horrible things, but he still considered her to be his friend. Maybe it was just him being naïve, but that was how he truly felt. Besides, he could sense something was not right about any of this.

He looked up as he heard an all-too familiar voice speaking ahead of him. He slowed his pace as he got nearer. Her phone accidentally clattered to the floor, and as she bent to pick it up, Jeff watched as her curious expression fell into fear as she realized who was in front of her.

Rob had insisted on taking Carmen back to the hotel despite the awkward situation they had both found themselves in earlier. Carmen was determined to act as if nothing happened in that locker room, but she could not make any guarantees. Carmen was furious with herself for putting herself in that kind of position. She could not do that again. She decided she would call Test to ask if she could catch a ride with him back to the hotel. Yeah, she thought as she snuck out, that was an idea. As she pulled out her phone to make a call to the Canadian, it slipped from her grasp and clattered noisily to the floor. "Oh shit," she gasped, wincing anxiously as she bent to pick it up. "Please let it not be broken-"

She froze. In front of her was a black and white pair of wrestling boots. There were only two people she knew that had black and white wrestling boots. She looked up with wide fearful eyes. Sure enough, it was a Hardy, the younger one. Carmen didn't know what to think, especially after he tried to destroy Rob earlier tonight. She couldn't help but wonder if he had actually come for her in the ring, just like Matt had done some weeks ago, if it had been her he was aiming for instead of Rob. Her heart raced frantically as she stood up straight to look her former teammate in the eyes.

Jeff was torn. He wanted so badly to ask her how she was doing after that bad landing she took. He wanted to shake her and demand to know why she had abandoned them. Abandoned _him_. He wanted to tell her how much he was missing her and that things could be worked out if she came back. But she had changed things drastically between them, almost irreparably.

Carmen was paralyzed by his inquisitive green eyes. The pain in them just about shut her body system down. She took a step back to break contact, but he followed her, probing her with that soft yet firm look that he always used when he wanted to pry the truth out of her. And it always worked. It took all her inner strength to not say the words out loud. _Please_ _Jeff. I can't do this. Not now. I promise I'll explain everything later_.

Jeff took another step forward. He licked his lips, and cautiously, began to speak. "Carmen…"

"All set," Rob announced as he opened his locker room door. Carmen jumped and her head whipped in his direction. His smile faded as he took in the presence of Jeff. "You," he snarled. The imploring look Jeff had had on his face seconds ago evaporated once Rob Van Dam appeared. His green eyes were hard and cold as he stared his adversary down. Carmen looked back and forth between her fellow high flyers, praying silently that a fight would not ensue between them. Finally, Jeff bent down to pick up Carmen's phone.

"You dropped this," he mumbled in his accentuated Southern drawl, handing it to her. He started to leave but Rob held him back.

"Don't!" Carmen protested. She didn't think she could handle a fight between them in her current emotional state.

"After that stunt you pulled tonight, you'd better watch your back from now on," Rob said to Jeff, "and stay away from _her_." He gestured towards Carmen. "She's no longer yours."

If looks could kill, Rob would have been stone dead with two separate strikes from Carmen and Jeff. Jeff snatched his arm back and shot a glare towards Rob before storming away. Carmen stared after her former friend, fighting the urge to run after him. She then spun around to face Rob, her eyes blazing with rage. "_No longer yours_? Who do you think you are? My pimp? You don't own me!"

"Will you stop over-reacting?"

"_Over-re_…" She shut her eyes, calming herself down. When she opened them, they were filled with resolve. "I can't do this," she said, "this teaming up thing is not gonna work."

He stared at her as if not fully comprehending what she was saying, and then he laughed. "Now you're just talking crazy-"

"You know what's crazy?" she replied harshly, angry and hurt that he still wasn't taking her seriously, "Me agreeing to this bullshit in the first place! Sorry Van Dam, but we're done. Go find Stacy. I'm sure she'd love to replace me."

Carmen made her way towards the nearest exit out of the emptying arena. She was going to start over and give her all into becoming the Women's Champion. Nothing and nobody was going to sidetrack her again.


	20. Chapter 20

Kane threw open the door to the hotel room he and his brother were sharing, ready to shoot on sight, but he mellowed on seeing Edge. He couldn't help but feel disappointed, as he was in the mood for a fight.

"Kane," Edge said, "I need to talk to your brother."

Kane responded by stepping aside to let him in. Kurt Angle was also in the room, in conversation with the Dead Man as he nursed his shoulder. The Olympic gold medalist looked up at the Canadian as he walked in. "Edge."

"Kurt." Edge responded. "How's the shoulder, Taker?"

During the show Kane and Undertaker were attacked backstage by Kanyon and DDP. Taker's shoulder came off worst. "What does it look like?" he answered gruffly, shifting the icepack around his left shoulder.

"Never mind him," Kurt apologized on Taker's behalf, "You saw what happened tonight, right?"

Edge nodded and leaned against the wall facing the three men.

"Can you believe Big Show took out Albert?" Kurt moaned. "He's going to be out for weeks now."

"How is Carmen?" Kane asked Edge.

"Other than a sprained ankle, she's fine," he replied. "It's not too bad, according to her. She'll be better in a week."

"Is it me or has she had the most near-misses so far?" Kurt muttered.

"I don't think Jeff meant to get her hurt at all," Edge said, "You should have seen his face when he realized she got hurt. Matt was definitely gunning for her in his case, but Jeff only wanted Van Dam."

"She should know better than being so reckless," said Taker. "Summerslam's just around the corner. We want her at a hundred percent. You better talk some sense into her, Edge. What's with the bag?"

Edge looked down at the bag attached to his shoulder, and winced. Uh oh. Go time. "Oh, um. Carmen found something. She thought you should see it before anyone else."

He slowly brought out the camcorder. Kane scratched his head. Kurt's eyes widened. "Is that what I think it is?" he asked.

"It is. Except this time he was planning to sell it."

There was a heavy silence in the room now as Edge's words were absorbed. Kurt's eyes darted back to the older man's features, anticipating his reaction. The Dead Man's eyed the camcorder for a full minute, before he finally took it from Edge and turned it on.

"And just so you know, I didn't look at it," Edge quickly added. Taker shot him an evil look, and so did Kurt. Kane tilted his head to the side in a reprimanding manner. The blond man suddenly wished he kept his mouth shut.

As Taker watched, his face began to transform into an angry, almost demented expression. The Olympic champion then decided it was the most apposite time to hightail it.

"So, um, we'll just be going now," he said, tugging Edge along with him as he found his way to the door. Kane shut the door behind them just as the fireworks exploded. A muffled roar and a crash sounded from inside. Edge and Kurt watched the door in silence, listening to the commotion. "Think we should go check on him?" Edge asked, not taking his eyes off the door.

Kurt looked at him incredulously. "Are you kidding? Can you hear that?" Another angry yell was followed by another loud crash. "Do you want that to be your head?"

Edge swallowed. "Point taken."

Kurt shook his head and looked back at the door. "DDP better start counting his days, because they sure as hell are numbered now."

--------

Jeff Hardy had a frown on his face as he knocked on the door. He hoped Lita was around and by herself. He needed to talk to someone. He was feeling…well, _confused_, for lack of a better term. Lita was the only one who would probably listen to him. She always did. However, he was very uncertain of how she would react to his topic of discussion.

The door opened, and Lita took in the figure standing behind her door with a genial smile. "Jeff. Come in."

Jeff took a seat on her bed. "So, what's up?" Lita asked in concern, sitting down beside him. She had no idea why he was here. He seemed fine, despite the beating he received tonight. "Are you okay?"

Jeff nodded, staring blankly ahead of him. "I…I want to talk to you…about something."

Lita's eyes narrowed. "Is it Matt again? What has he done this time?"

He shook his head. His sibling was the very last person he could discuss this with, as the older Hardy had his mind pretty much made up. "So what is it?" Lita inquired. Jeff was always straight to the point, so she wondered why it was taking him so long to spill it.

The younger Hardy kept silent for a few moments. On second thought, maybe he shouldn't have come here. Maybe he should have kept to himself, like he normally did. But this was different.

"_Jeff_?"

He looked over at Lita, and he noticed that her patience was wearing thin. "It's about Carmen," he stated simply.

The redhead's eyebrow rose. Why she was surprised? Maybe it was because Jeff had not voiced out his concern for their former teammate since his outburst on Matt. But his behavior since Carmen's defection spoke volumes. He watched almost every match she was in, the concern on his face always very vivid. Lita suspected that Jeff had not attacked RVD during his match just because the Alliance affiliate had done the same thing earlier, but rather because he found out that Carmen would be working closely with his rival. "What about her?" she asked, really not wanting to know.

Jeff shrugged slightly, leaning forward in his sitting position and staring at the floor. "I saw her tonight, after the show."

"What were you doing with her? She's an Alliance member now, in case you've forgotten-"

"I _know_, Lita," Jeff answered irritably. "I just ran into her, that's all."

The redhead nodded slowly. "Okay…so…what, did she say anything to you?"

He shook his head. "She didn't have to say anything to me."

Now she was puzzled. "I'm lost," she revealed.

"I think…I think something's going on, Lita," he explained, "I think there was something she wanted to tell me."

Lita shifted her sitting position so she was facing him completely. "Probably wanted to tell you to get lost."

"I don't think so. And you're sounding like Matt."

She ignored the remark. "If she doesn't then why did she leave the way she did? Why did she say those things she said? After everything the four of us have been through together, she does that? You can't blame me if I don't care about her anymore."

"You should've seen the look in her eyes when I ran into her. You'd understood what I'm saying. Think about it, Lita. She only said those things because Matt provoked her. She could have retaliated when I attacked Van Dam. Could've given me a Karma or something. She could've clocked me backstage tonight. We were alone, I was unarmed, yet she didn't do anything."

The Extreme Diva sat down and thought about what he was telling her. She always knew Jeff to be a very perceptive person, but he seemed to be clutching at straws right now. Even if he was right, what were the chances of Carmen getting back with the WWF when the Alliance was getting stronger every week? And worse, would she rejoin Team Extreme with the tension that would surround her and Matt? Besides, she seemed to be doing pretty well with Rob Van Dam by her side. Whatever Jeff thought, or saw, wouldn't change the fact that she'd betrayed them.

"You know what?" she said to him. "I think you should just forget this. We've got other things to worry about. Whatever's going on with Carmen doesn't concern us anymore."

Jeff gaped at the redhead. She shrugged powerlessly. "Look Jeff, I want to be on your side on this, okay? I swear. But what's the point in wallowing in the past? I'm not saying it's not hard, because it is. I miss Carmen like crazy, but I can't let it get to me. You know why? The Women's title is up for grabs again at Summerslam. Carmen will be at the other side of the ring as one of my opponents. If I have to go through her to win that title, I will do just that. You on the other hand, should be concentrating on getting that Hardcore title back." Lita moved over and squatted down in front of him, looking him in the eyes. "Not everything should be made personal, Jeff. It's one of those things we gotta live with."

The younger Hardy watched Lita's face, taking in her words, and then he turned away, sighing deeply. Lita reached over to pat him gently on the thigh, but he jerked away from her and shot up from the bed, nearly knocking her onto her ass. Without so much as a backward glance, he left the room.

Lita threw hands in the air in resignation. "Great, now he's pissed," she said aloud, flopping down onto the bed her friend had just so abruptly left. She knew he listened to everything she had said, but being a Hardy, the Stubborn Syndrome would always come into play. But she was right and he knew she was right. And as harsh as it sounded, he would just have to deal with it.


	21. Chapter 21 Repost

Carmen kept her word on returning to the hotel with Test. Maybe there, she would get some peace and closure on everything. But she'd been inside the hotel room barely thirty minutes when she found herself itching to get out. She needed air, badly. When she couldn't take it anymore she barged out of the room, ignoring Ivory, who didn't even seem to notice her disappear.

She strolled round the hotel. Her mind was split into a million thoughts. What had she been thinking, not bolting the minute she saw Jeff? He was the one person who could make her sing like a canary. One look into his conflicted green eyes was all she needed to see just what this whole thing was doing to him. He was taking her defection very hard. But she was knee-deep into this shit. It was much too late to start having second thoughts, not after everything, not when the Alliance members were starting to believe she was the real deal. There was no turning back. At least not yet.

She refocused her eyes to her surroundings. Her mouth fell slightly open when she realized where she was. She had wandered into WWF territory. Her feet had taken her three floors up to where the WWF was.

To her friends.

To the enemy.

She heard the sound of people – men – approaching, and she darted across the hallway and ducked under the stairwell. She winced as Farooq and Bradshaw ambled past her hiding place. What a meeting that would've been. There was no way they would have been pleased with her presence in their domain. Just then Carmen caught sight of Trish walking down the hallway. She was with Jeff Hardy. Their backs were to her, but she could see the fatigue and sadness in Jeff's body language. Carmen could not take her eyes of him. He looked so dejected and upset. His lank, colored hair appeared even floppier and concealed his tired and worried eyes. She watched him converse with Trish, who looked like she was consoling him, and both her arms circled his waist as she moved in for a hug.

Carmen sighed and pressed the back of her head against the wall. She really wished she could talk to Jeff; to tell him not to panic and explain that this was only temporary. This was the only way she felt she could prove her worth as a wrestler and an employee. Her fledgling career depended on this. She'd gone through this several times in her mind. She would try to dismantle the Alliance as much as she could, win the Women's title and then she would return to his side. One company was going to be put out of business. She was going to make herself indispensable to both.

She peeked round the stairwell again. Jeff and Trish were gone. Carmen decided that she had to leave before someone eventually saw her. Checking that the coast was clear, she started to cross out into the hallway. She had barely taken two steps when she found herself being steered back roughly into the stairwell and thrown against the wall in one big blur. Suddenly her air supply seemed to have diminished significantly. Carmen's eyes refocused and gazed into the burning brown eyes of Trish Stratus.

"You got some balls showing your face here, Carmen," she hissed. Obviously she had not forgotten about what she did to her on Raw some nights ago.

"Let go of me," Carmen breathed, the back of her head throbbing from where Trish had slammed her. Trish was holding the front of her T-shirt a bit too tightly for her liking. "I'm not here for you-"

Trish chuckled snidely. "I saw you watching us. Jeff Hardy is no longer your concern!"

"And that makes you happy doesn't it?" Carmen said, taunting her. "You can stop pretending to be mad at me, Trish. You got Jeff all to yourself now, isn't that what you wanted?"

The words came out smoothly. She did not plan this, but she was ready. Her face red, Trish swung her fist at Carmen, but the taller woman caught it easily in mid-air and pushed it away. "I'm not fighting you, Trish."

"Oh, you'd better, pussy!" Trish lashed out again, her Chick Kick catching Carmen's side. She lost her balance and fell to the floor. "Ow! Shit, that hurt!" Carmen complained, holding onto her waist.

"It's _supposed_ to hurt," Trish answered cockily, "it's an ass-kicking."

She then grabbed Carmen's hair and began to drag her along the hallway. "Come on Carmen! Let's go pay Lita a visit. I'm sure she'd _love_ to see you again!"

Carmen halted. What? Lita? "No!" She twisted away from Trish's grasp and backed several steps away. "Trish, stop it!"

The Canadian wasn't listening. "Get back here!" She pursued her and threw another punch, this time with her cast arm. It hit Carmen right in the gut. Trish attempted another Chick Kick but Carmen sidestepped her and walked right into a blow to the temple. Carmen fell, but retaliated with a leg sweep, knocking Trish off her feet. Trish landed on her bad hand. Even through the cast, the pain stabbed through her body, and she swore loudly, clutching her hand. Carmen's face fell in alarm. She hadn't meant to hurt her…

Doggedly, the smaller blonde staggered upright and held her good fist out, ready to attack again. Carmen jammed her fingers into her hair with frustration. "Look! I'm a plant, okay?" she blurted out. "Do you really think I can tell that to anyone?"

Trish had frozen at the word "plant". But she did not entirely let up. She was half-crouched, geared up for another fight. Her eyes narrowed to thin slits as what she'd just heard truly sank in. "Lies," she spat.

"Look me in the eye, Trish!" Carmen said sternly. She was doubled over, trying to catch her breath. "I know you and I don't always get along but do you really think I'd just walk out on Jeff? He's my best friend for God's sake. Look at me!"

Diffidently, Trish forced her eyes to meet Carmen's, taking in the taller blonde's set features, the seriousness in her eyes. It was evident that Trish was floored by this revelation. Her eyes had softened, but anger and confusion still etched her pretty face. Her fists lowered to her sides. Embarrassed that she had caused this obvious discomfort, Carmen looked away. "I'm sorry about your arm," she muttered remorsefully. "I shouldn't have said anything to you. I made a mistake coming here."

"Yes, you did." Trish finally spoke. Her voice was cold, but Carmen could see that she now believed her. Now was her chance, before she could change her mind.

"Just do this one thing for me," Carmen went on, "you clear everyone out of my path. Everyone over there that's planning to get me; any plot, any ambush, you take them out. And don't you dare breathe one word of this to him." She jerked her head towards Jeff's room.

Trish did not respond. Instead both women stood rooted to the spot, staring at each other for a long moment. The tense silence was suddenly broken by Trish's phone ringing. She pulled it out of her pocket. She glanced at the caller ID, and then back up. "You should get out of-" she started, trailing off when she realized the spot where Carmen stood was already empty.

--------

"Jesus, Carmen! Where were you?"

Ivory stood waiting, hands on her hips. Carmen jumped and reeled around, pressing her back against the door. She thought Ivory would be asleep by now. "You just left the room as if there was a fire. And you left your phone behind. I thought we agreed to take our phones everywhere with us," she went on, waiting for an explanation.

"I…ran into some problems," Carmen improvised, brushing past her. Her mind was whirling. This was the first time Carmen could truly say she messed up. She'd buckled under the first sign of pressure. She could have just shoved Trish out of the way and run. Why didn't she just do that? That wasn't cowardice; she would only be protecting her cover. And now she blew it. She panicked and chose the easy way out. Did she plan on collapsing like that every time some sort of threat sprang up?

To her consternation, Ivory followed her to the bathroom. "What kind of problems?"

Wouldn't she like to know. "You know the usual…being attacked by our most favorite people in the world, the WWF."

"Are you sure? Looks like it was a hell lot more than that. You look pretty shaken up."

Carmen turned around and was about to tell Ivory off for snooping where she didn't belong, but bit back her comment, trying to curb her patience. "The important thing is, Ivory, I escaped in one piece. I'd like to get to bed and forget all about it. Is that okay with you? Or do I have to ask permission to take a piss too?"

"Come on, I'm just looking out for you," said Ivory, looking offended. The hurt expression on her face forced Carmen to mellow a bit. "And I thank you for that," she said evenly, gently ushering her out of the bathroom. "But as you can see, I'm fine. No blood lost."

With that Carmen shut the door in her face, certain that the older woman would soon begin to suspect something.


	22. Chapter 22

_**Chapter 22**_

Carmen took a break from her usual morning workout, and decided instead to visit the hotel spa, inviting Ivory. Everyone was so tense and worn out from their on-going battles with the WWF, it was only right they stole a moment of relaxation for themselves, even if it was for a day. Stacy Keibler and Torrie Wilson had the same idea, but when they said hi to Ivory, their former mentor greeted them as though they were total strangers, causing both their jaws to drop open with surprise. Carmen's arrival to the Alliance had diverted Ivory further and further away from her first protégées. But it was inevitable. Carmen would have been everybody's pick to manage, anywhere, any day.

Hours later, they lounged at the open poolside. "This is great," Carmen sighed contentedly. "I think I'm going to fall asleep. It's so relaxing."

"I know," Ivory sighed, still in a very relaxed mood. "I heard Trish Stratus re-injured her arm again." A wicked smile formed on her lips. "Wonder how that happened."

Carmen was glad she was wearing sunglasses. It was hiding the blush of guilt on her cheeks. "Shit happens." Inside herself, she felt terrible. She only hoped Trish would not be out of action for too long. Carmen had been really stupid the night before. She hoped no-one got to find out.

Ivory let out a low whistle. Carmen followed her mentor's gaze, pushing her shades onto the top of her head. Test was hanging out with Booker T, Rob Van Dam and Lance Storm a few feet away from the pool, wearing a particularly tight shirt. "You sound impressed, Ivory. Want a piece of the Canadian hunk?" Carmen asked. Ivory laughed, a bit harder than was required. "Me? No way!" she said, her voice a little higher than usual. "Why would you think that?"

Her hands trembled slightly as she put on her shades back. Carmen broke into a grin. So Ivory had a little crush on her Canadian friend. She made a mental note to rib him about it. Her gaze then fell upon the Hardcore champion, Rob Van Dam. She had not seen him since Smackdown. He looked okay, wearing a sleeveless black shirt, and a pair of dark jeans that gripped him in all the right places…

Oh, who was she kidding? He looked fucking sexy.

As if knowing he was being surveyed, he shifted the angle of his body towards her direction, and their eyes met. She took a long sip of her apple juice, watching him take in the navy blue bikini that clung enticingly to her toned, sun-kissed body. It was obvious that there was a mutual, sexual attraction between them. He thought she didn't know, but she would occasionally catch him staring at her, especially when she was in her more provocative in-ring outfits. And he had starring roles in many fantasies of hers, some being particularly – not to mention embarrassingly – explicit…

"I don't mean to pry, honey, but I just want to give this little piece of advice." Ivory's voice pierced into her thoughts. "I know you two were thrown together to work together and everything, but I hope your relationship is strictly on a business level."

Ah, so she wasn't as blind as she kept making herself out to be. "There something I should know?" asked Carmen.

"Stephanie McMahon's got him on a leash. Everyone knows they're more than just employer and employee. You don't want to be messing with her, trust me."

Carmen heard the rumors before. Technically she heard from Chris Jericho, who had long ago made it his sole ambition to humiliate the Billion Dollar Princess at every chance he got. Carmen believed there was some truth to it. Stephanie never left Rob's side when she was around him, and was always eyeing him like he was a 24-carat piece of ass. The last thing Carmen wanted was to get on anybody's bad side, especially – as much as it pained her to say it – Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley. She had clout, and influence, and nobody wreaked vengeance the way she did. Getting involved with Rob Van Dam was simply asking to become a walking bulls-eye.

"Well, she doesn't have to worry. We split up." Carmen told Ivory. When the raven-haired woman sent her a curious look, she explained further. "I just didn't think we're going to work that well together. I don't think the fans were feeling us, you know? Plus, we have different agendas to pursue."

Ivory stared incredulously at her. "So you split up? Are you kidding? Did you see the ratings? The fans _loved_ you guys. Carmen, you've been given a great opportunity here to learn from one of the best in the business. You have a lot to gain being in Van Dam's good books."

_Like Paul Heyman's secrets_, thought Carmen. Like Stephanie, the ECW co-owner trusted Van Dam. She was almost certain that Rob had first-hand gossip on what was going on, and her pride had not been allowing her to pick up on it. The wheels began to turn in her head. If there really was a mutual attraction between her and the Hardcore champ, why let it victimize her when she could actually use it to her advantage?

Carmen slipped her sunglasses back on, a small, cunning smile tugging at her lips. Maybe she'd been too hard on Rob after all.

* * *

"I need to see Undertaker now!" Trish argued. Kane was standing at the door, completely blocking her entry into the locker room. He did not budge, and it was really starting to get on her nerves.

Had Taker lost his mind? What did he think he was doing throwing Carmen into the Alliance? Trish barely slept just thinking about what had transpired between her and Carmen last night. It took her half an hour after Carmen's vanishing act to finally realize that her arm was hurt again. But the Doctor could wait. She wanted an explanation first, because none of it was making sense to her.

Indicating to Kane that it was okay, the Dead Man finally appeared at the door. "Trish. May I help you?"

Without waiting for permission Trish barged in. Luckily, none of the other conspirators were in sight. "Which one of you put Carmen up to this?" She swept her finger at Undertaker, Kane and Sara, with the latter two exchanging glances. It took Undertaker less than a second to figure out what Trish Stratus was talking about. Deflecting it was no use. The look in her eyes told him so, and he sighed. "So she told you," he mumbled, adjusting the red bandana on his head.

"And got my hand re-broken for the trouble," said Trish, cradling her arm for emphasis. "Taker! She is going to be killed!"

"Hey look, nobody is getting killed around here!" the veteran insisted, "not on my watch."

Trish gazed at him like he had two heads. "Are you sure about that? Because in case you haven't noticed, Stone Cold Steve Austin is back! You know they have history! He will go after her, sooner or later! You could have taken me, or even Lita! Why Carmen?"

"What makes you think she can't handle it?"

"What makes you think she _can_?" she shot back.

Taker sat down on the sofa and took a swig of his water bottle. He was making Trish wait for his response. He was going to do this on his own terms. Then he spoke.

"Carmen's always wanted out of the WWF."

Trish immediately opened her mouth to protest but Taker put up one hand to silence her. "Just listen, alright? This is what she wants everyone to think, what we want _everyone_ to think if we're going to pull this off. She is pissed off with everything that's been happening to her in the WWF," he explained. "Following Team Xtreme around is not enough for her. Carmen's wrestling ability outnumbers her patience by the thousands and she's already grown tired of sharing the spotlight with Lita. She's been in the big time for nearly a year, but she already feels she's been overlooked for too long, and now she's doing something about it. Now she's gone over there and so far, she's making more headlines than any other woman over there. So to cut the story short, Carmen is the one person who has real reason to join the Alliance."

"You gotta be kidding me!" Trish uttered incredulously. "Who are you aiming to fool with that bullshit?" She wasn't sure how well the American Bad Ass would take her choice of language but that was not her problem. "I can't believe you forced her into this!"

"Carmen made her decision voluntarily, Trish!" said Taker. "She was at liberty to say no."

"Oh, and look like a pansy in front of the Undertaker, of all people? Of course she wasn't going to say no to you! You know she idolizes you, and you're taking advantage of it!"

"Wait a minute, why the sudden concern, Trish?" asked Sara, speaking for the first time. Trish turned to her fellow blonde with disapproving eyes. Her question had a taunting tone to it that the Canadian Diva did not like at all. "Last time I checked," Sara went on, "you've never given a flyin' fuck about Carmen. Why are you so bothered about her welfare now?"

Again, Trish started to speak, but ended clamping her mouth back shut. She did not have an answer to that. Maybe it had been the near desperation she had seen in the younger blonde's eyes last night; a raw, restless need within her to prove all the doubters wrong no matter what it took. Carmen was a far more experienced wrestler than Trish, but for months on end she seemed destined to remain firmly in the shadow of her redheaded teammate. Until she made a big statement, unless she made people sit up and take notice, it would only be a matter of time before she would no longer be taken seriously. It had to be painful realizing that the one thing that could be standing in your way would be one of your best friends. Trish understood. She had gone through the exact same thing back when she was modeling. She had been forced to leave and go somewhere else to make a name for herself. Trish never realized how much in common she had with Carmen.

Or how much she empathized.

Sara, who had mistaken Trish's silence for concession, said, "I suggest you get a doctor to look at that arm, and concentrate on getting better. You don't want it getting hurt again, do you?"

Trish took a step towards the Undertaker's wife. "Is that a threat?"

"Hey, hey," Taker said, coming between the women. Kane remained seated, knowing better than to get in the way of two chicks that had their claws out and ready to tear at each other. Sara had a look of indignant surprise on her face as she glared at Trish. She stood defiantly with her arms crossed. "I want in," she said to the Dead Man.

Taker raised an eyebrow. "Do you even _know_ what 'in' is?"

But Trish shook her head. "I don't care. I want in. It's not like I have much to do anyway. You know I can help. And nobody would guess I have anything to do with this since I'm technically still out of action."

For a long time Taker didn't respond. One could actually see the wheels turning in his head. Then, with a weary sigh, he replied, "Then you must listen to me very carefully…"


	23. Chapter 23

_**A/N: Here's Chapter 23. Please, please give reviews. They really encourage me. Thanks.**_

"Have fun swapping shaving techniques with Van Dam?" Carmen said to Test as she stretched out on his hotel bed.

"Have fun fantasizing about our hot bodies with Ivory?" he retorted with a grin.

"You wish. Anything new?"

Test shook his head. "Those guys spend too much time pretending they know what's up. But they're just in the dark like everyone else. You?"

"Nothing much. I might probably get a telling off from the powers that be for ditching Rob Van Dam so brutally."

Test snorted. "Please. You're better off without him."

She conveniently avoided informing him of her decision to reunite with Mr. ECW. When she eventually did she knew Test would flip, but he just had to deal with it. It was for the good of the WWF.

-------

Rob Van Dam heard a knock on the door of his hotel room and went to answer it. He relaxed when he saw Carmen standing there, the lights in the hallway reflecting radiantly off her oval-shaped face. She saw his expectant look and she glanced down for a second, taking in a deep breath before looking up again.

"Look, I came to apologize about last night," she started, looking like she would rather have been eating her socks than apologizing to Rob Van Dam. "I've had time to think, and I think I may have been too hard on you." Her fingers twisted together nervously as she spoke. "I want to start over. Let's be a team again. What do you say?"

Cocking his head to the side, Rob leaned his arm against the door and studied her for a long moment. Then, without moving his face at all, he said, "I'll think about it."

All of Carmen's charm died. "What? What is this, a job interview? I said I was sorry! Cut me some slack here!"

The serious expression on his face gave way to a mischievous grin. "Nah, I'm kidding. Wow, I didn't think I'd enjoy watching you grovel that much."

"Ha ha," she said dryly. "Well, you better take a picture, 'cause it's never gonna happen again."

"You know what they say," he said, reaching out to finger a lock of her blonde hair. "Never say never."

At first Carmen tensed at the soft, sweeping feel of his fingers, but quickly flicked her hair away from his reach. "Do you mind? We've got a busy day tomorrow. Get some sleep."

"Sure, sure." He gave her a salute, and then shut his door. She walked slowly, waiting to hear the click of his lock before breaking into a run, all the way back to her room.

---------

_Monday Night Raw_

The Rock was back.

Austin had been standing in the ring. Vince McMahon was yet to come up with a number-one contender from the WWF. The Rattlesnake was promising to make good on his threat to keep the WWF title with the Alliance, when Vince gave the good news. But Shane and Stephanie interrupted him. The Rock was back all right, they sneered, but he now belonged to the Alliance. Vince said that they and the rest of the world would have to wait and see.

After weeks of speculation, the Rock chose sides by letting his Rock Bottom and the People's elbow do the talking. He was staying with the WWF. After making his allegiances clear they all believed he would indeed go after Austin and the WWF title, but the Stone Cold Steve Austin had other plans, as did the WCW champion, Booker T, who challenged the Rock to a match at Summerslam. Rock accepted. It was obvious that the five-time WCW champion was nothing more than a diversion to keep the Rock away from Austin, and the Rock had taken the bait. Austin outsmarted the WWF yet again.

And it was starting to piss off Vince McMahon.

---------

"I thought you said-" Realizing he was loud Test caught himself and turned the volume down a notch. "I thought you said you were done being partners with him."

"You know I couldn't just bail like that," said Carmen, with the same hushed tone, eyes darting around the room full of fellow Alliance affiliates. "We lasted just one match, Test. People will get suspicious. I have to stick with him. Heyman threatened my title chances. What's _your_ beef anyway? You don't hear me questioning your alliance with Booker T or the Dudleys or whoever's your new flavor of the week."

"That's different, Carmen," argued Test. "They don't go everywhere with Heyman, whispering in corners like they're in some secret society."

"And what's wrong with that? I know Heyman trusts Van Dam, and I can bet that he tells him a lot of stuff. So yeah, he might turn out very useful to me. I know now exactly what I have to do to get what I want from him."

"Better keep that info to yourself," Test interjected, putting up both hands. Carmen gasped and swatted his arm. "Oh God, Test, bring your mind out of the gutter will you?"

The Canadian sat down on a nearby chair, shaking his head as he looked at Carmen. "I don't trust him."

She knew the real reason for his dislike towards Rob. Stephanie McMahon. Test still had feelings for her even after she dumped him for Hunter Helmsley. Carmen knew that if Stephanie went back to Test today, he would have welcomed her back with open arms. He could not deny it to Carmen if he tried. The jealousy was there, glinting in his eye. Despite this minor setback, it really was a different person Carmen saw from the big brute the world adjudged him to be; she saw a man with a wounded pride, an emotional motherfucker hell-bent on getting his revenge.

These, she thought, were perfect ingredients in creating a very dangerous man. Carmen concluded that he was going to be fine.

"Good. Because if you did, I'd have been worried for you," she said, running her hand along his broad shoulders in an effort to soothe him. "Relax, baby. This gig isn't gonna last long. You do what _you_ need to do, and leave RVD to me."

---------

Jeff Hardy was more or less considered all around to be a patient, tolerant guy. But he was sick to death of Van Dam's trash-talking. It was all he could do not to run down there and beat the shit out of him. But he wasn't stupid. The last thing he wanted was an injury right before Summerslam.

"You talk a lot of smack, Van Dam!" said Jeff, pacing at the top of the ramp as his opponent stared him down from inside the ring. "But guess what? I don't give a damn what you have to say. I don't care if you think you're better than me. All I know is that I want my Hardcore title back. So since we're already scheduled to compete at Summerslam, let's make things more exciting. We're gonna settle this in a ladder match!"

The fans exploded with cheers. Rob Van Dam raised an eyebrow. "Ladder match?"

"Got a problem with it? No holds barred, no disqualifications, it will be just you, me and that ladder." Jeff smiled as if he were talking about a coveted tourist attraction. "Or even better, it'll be me beating the hell out of you with that ladder. So what do you say? Sounds like fun?"

A slow, sinister smile spread across the Hardcore champion's face. "Get ready to bleed, dude. You're on."

--------

"A ladder match," Carmen repeated as he walked into the locker room. "You guys really pull out the stops, don't you?"

Rob took the towel she offered him and draped it over his shoulder. "Hey, he's the one that came up with it. I don't back down from a challenge. I'm gonna give him what he wants, and he's gonna wish I took it back."

"And you're sure Heyman doesn't mind his most precious asset being reduced to puppy chow?"

Rob gave her a funny look. "I've been doing this for years, Carmen. Paul, hell, _everyone_ knows I can kill Jeff hardy if I wanted to."

Kill. Oh boy. She'd better stop giving him any ideas. "I'm just worried, I guess," she confessed, reaching out to rub his shoulders. She and Rob were starting to get along quite well, and she genuinely enjoyed his company. Ladder matches threatened careers. She was not sure Jeff and Matt were the same since that match at Wrestlemania X-Seven, but she did want to return to the WWF and see her friend in one piece, at the same time she wanted Rob to stay away from hospital so she could map her way out of the Alliance faster.

"Someone worried about me?" Rob asked with a sly smile. He took her hand and planted a quick kiss on it. Carmen would have said something if she could breathe, and as her insides warmed as she observed him stretching, she began to wonder if getting out of the Alliance was the real reason she wanted Rob by her side.


	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter 24**

Edge wasn't sure what exactly what he thinking when he invited Carmen to breakfast the next morning, and was even more surprised when she happily agreed. They both figured they needed to get away from the madness of their day jobs, and he couldn't care about the risks. They arranged to meet somewhere downtown, far away from where anyone could spot them. He moved into the diner as discreetly as possible. He found a table and sat, propping up a newspaper in front of him, waiting for her. For some reason he felt the nerves one would feel on a first date. It wasn't a date, he assured himself. It was just two people hanging out, right?

Right?

Carmen walked in not long after. Her blonde, dark-streaked hair was tucked perfectly into a baseball cap. It was a very smart precaution as her streaked hair would not have been hard to spot from afar. "I'm not late, am I?" she asked Edge, sliding into the seat opposite him.

He smiled brightly. "You're just in time. How've you been?"

"Surviving," she replied, taking off her dark shades and clipping them at the front of her shirt. "Have you ordered? I'm starving. By the way," she said, "keep away from your room for at least the next twenty-four hours."

Edge gave her a questioning look as the waitress came to take their orders. "Why?"

"I overheard Christian planning an impromptu handicap match for you against Chuck Palumbo, Sean O'Haire and Shawn Stasiak. Venue: your hotel room. Not sure about the time, but yeah. Be careful."

Edge sighed. Trust his brother to try to take him down with reinforcements. "Some war this whole thing is turning out to be, isn't it?"

"Yeah," she agreed. "Summerslam will be crazy. Right, Mr. Intercontinental champion?"

He broke into a toothy grin. "Have to admit, it does have an awesome ring to it. Becoming King of the Ring _and_ Intercontinental champion in one year? That'll totally rule!"

"Totally!" she mimicked, giggling. She hadn't smiled like that in weeks, he noted. "How are _you_ feeling?" he asked. "Fatal Four-way, right?"

Carmen could feel the building excitement as she thought about it. "I feel more prepared than I've ever been. This is probably the first time I have a genuine chance of winning. I just wish I wasn't facing Lita in such a hostile environment."

"Hey. We're talking about a Championship here," Edge reminded her. "Alliance or not, it was always gonna be hostile. All Lita knows is that she's facing three other women for the title, and you're just another opponent. You should have the same mentality."

"What about Matt and Jeff?"

Edge waited for the waitress to serve them before speaking again. "They've been staying in separate hotel rooms for a while now, pretty much on-and-off."

"What?" Carmen asked, surprised. "Since when?"

His jaw was rigid. "Since Matt attacked you."

Carmen leaned forwards in her seat and splayed her fingers over her face. She thought they'd be over it by now. "So much for unity," she muttered wryly.

"Carmen," Edge said, "Forget about them. You just do what you're supposed to do at Summerslam, and bring back that title. Jeff, Matt and Lita will handle themselves. They're adults."

"Could've fooled me." At this rate she could not see Jeff winning that Hardcore title at Summerslam with all the distractions, and a ladder match no less.

"So, you and Van Dam, huh?" he began, unenthusiastically. "I saw your last match. That finishing move was cool."

Carmen could feel her face flush, and she bit her lip nervously. "Just something we thought up at training," she muttered, tactically sipping her coffee.

"I know Heyman's like, his best friend," Edge pointed out. "Has he been dishing the dirt?"

The blonde woman shook her head as she bit into her waffle. "Not yet, but I'm working on it. Van Dam doesn't talk much about that kind of stuff."

Edge studied her. "This might be me just being a comrade, but be careful around that guy, alright? Something's not right about him."

Carmen grinned and placed her hand over his. "Aw, my knight in shining armor."

He knew she was just playing, but a pleasant sensation tingled within the Canadian as she touched him. "I appreciate the concern," said Carmen, "but right now, nothing's right about anybody."

"Well, you can thank your reekazoid Alliance friends for that," he said, rolling his eyes. He hadn't meant it as a joke, so it surprised him when she burst into laughter. His eyes darted left and right self-consciously. "What?"

"Nothing," she said, still giggling. "It's just…I actually like when you talk like that."

Edge was surprised. "Really?"

"Yeah," she said, her mouth twitching. "Maybe it's my warped sense of humor, but it's pretty funny, when I'm not being the butt of the joke, that is."

She giggled again, and it greatly satisfied Edge to know he made her react so positively.

---------

Breakfast with Edge had seriously lifted her mood. It stayed that way through the afternoon, until Rob dragged her to yet another practice session. "Come on!" she whined. "A girl's gotta take a break, you know?"

However, Rob didn't seem to be in his usual jovial mood. He looked set to release whatever anger he was bottling up inside him on her. "Long night," he said abruptly. He circled her, beckoning, taunting. "Come on. Gimme your best shot."

Carmen shot him a concerned look. She had spent weeks training with Rob Van Dam, and was getting better with his spur-of-the-moment techniques, but today he just seemed tense. She decided to humor him, and things went smoothly until he threw her a bit too hard against the turnbuckle. "Now I know you're trying to kill me! Take it easy for a minute, will you? Jeez." She rubbed her lower back gingerly. "What's wrong with you? You've been moody all morning."

"Don't worry about it," he said tersely, sitting on a bench. "I got my lotion if you want."

She scoffed, but not unkindly. "Oh yeah, the one you made in Japan."

He slapped the tub on the bench and glared at her. "You want treatment or not?"

"Okay, okay." Chuckling, she stood in front of him as he began to spread the lotion on her lower back with his palms. Her toes began to curl as the lotion warned against her skin. His hands were like magic, fogging her brain as she absorbed each rippling sensation. He started to relax his fingers, and the massage loosened to a caress, and she swallowed hard as the lust began to rear its ugly head. "If I didn't know better," she said, her voice shaky as she attempted to dilute the thick sexual tension between them, "I'd say you just used this as a ploy to get close to me."

His vocals, however, had no such sense of control. "Maybe I did," he said in a voice so husky that she had to turn her head to face him. The intensity in his eyes floored her. She began to take a step back, coming up short when he took hold of her waist. He eased her onto his lap, and her eyes widened as his hand clasped the back of her neck, drawing her face down to his.

The sexual tension exploded right there in the gym as their lips met. It was like an unstoppable force meeting an immovable object. The first taste of each other only served to heighten the lust that threatened to spill over. He swung her other leg over him so that she straddled him, and then wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her up against him. Her fingernails raked into his hair and hooked the back of his neck as her mouth hungrily sought his. A low moan escaped her throat when his tongue tangled with hers, her heart thumping rapidly from his sweet taste. Her lithe, smooth body grinded intimately against his, driving his arousal up another notch. He rubbed the underside of her thigh while his other hand crept inside her shirt, sliding up her back, reaching behind and fondling with the hooks of her bra.

Suddenly she jumped as if his hand had burned her. She broke the kiss abruptly and clambered off him, breathing like she'd just run a marathon. "I have to go," she muttered, refusing to meet his eyes. Without another word she snatched her bag and rushed out of the gym. Rob watched her flee, bewildered by her reaction.

Carmen found her way back to the hotel, berating herself all the way. She'd been mere seconds away from getting it on with Rob Van Dam. That definitely was not part of the plan. She had a job to do, and she was seriously losing focus.

Her fingers touched her kiss-swollen lips. She could still taste him, still smell his sweat and cologne, feel his arms around her body. Carmen put her head in her hands. She knew all along that somehow interacting with Rob Van Dam was going to get her into trouble. She just didn't realize how much.

Summerslam was around the corner. The World Wrestling Federation depended on her. She was damned if she messed this up because of some stupid tryst.

**A/N: This was coming, wasn't it? Reviews, please! Much much appreciated! Stay tuned for Chapter 25!**


	25. Chapter 25

_**A/N: Special thanks to **__**i luv hardy**__** for the nice reviews. Now it would be nice if others joined in! Don't be scared, I don't bite! Anyway, enjoy the penultimate chapter before the highly-anticipated title match at Summerslam.**_

Trish was finding it hard to concentrate lately, and it was showing. When Lita plopped down beside her, she nearly jumped out of her skin, sparking the redhead's curiosity. "Are you okay?" she asked.

Trish's eyes darted to Lita's face, berating herself mentally for spacing out. "No, not really," she improvised, "It just sucks that I can't compete, you know?"

She lifted her reinforced cast for emphasis. Lita nodded her head in understanding. She first hesitated, but she then put an arm around the blonde's shoulder. "I'm sorry."

Trish offered her a grateful smile. Lita then realized that the blonde woman was becoming the only person she could talk to. Matt and Jeff were either too busy arguing with each other to even notice her anymore, and Carmen had run off with the enemy.

"I guess that's one less opponent for Carmen…" Lita added bitterly.

Trish caught the dejected expression right away. She was seeing it much too often lately. But she was not sure how to respond to Lita's jibe. Nowadays she worried that each time she opened her mouth she would give away her new-found, unwanted secret. "Lita, I hope you didn't take what Carmen said in the ring seriously. I don't know what's going on in her head. Carmen adores you guys. I don't know, maybe this is her warped way of experimenting…"

Trailing off, Trish shrugged and took a sip of her water, averting her eyes from the redhead. Now she was making excuses for Carmen? See why she didn't talk so much anymore?

Lita's narrowed eyes fell on Trish's face. What the fuck was she talking about? And when did Trish start defending Carmen? Come to think of it, it seemed that most people in the WWF were indifferent about her, actually. Everyone seemed to have forgotten that Carmen had turned on the organization. But they hadn't forgotten about Austin, or Test for that matter. Lita refused to make the mistake everyone else was. They were underestimating Carmen. Lita had been around the blonde woman long enough to know that it was a detrimental thing for anyone to do. Of all three defectors, Carmen's momentum was building the fastest. If the past few results were anything to go by, the Women's title was going to Carmen and the Alliance. But Lita wanted to be Champion too, and she was determined to walk out of Summerslam with the title. If she had to go through Carmen to do it, so be it.

That little momentum of hers was going to be halted. Lita would see to that.

Carmen was in one hell of a dilemma. As expected, she was avoiding Rob Van Dam after that stunt he pulled at the gym. But the faster she ran, the more she thought about him and the breath-taking kiss they shared, and it was driving her insane.

She wished they had a fight instead. That she could have handled. She needed air. She needed to think. Think about anything, to be honest. Anything but Rob, or how his hair felt when she ran her fingers through it, or the taste of his warm, soft, sweet lips…

A frustrated growl left her lips, and she kicked a nearby prop trunk. She sighed and leaned against it, tilting her head back. She needed to snap out of this and fast.

"Well, someone's angry," a voice said. She looked to the right, and rolled her eyes before returning her gaze to the ceiling.

"What? Not happy to see me?" Christian feigned hurt. When Carmen ignored him again, he stood in front of her. "On a serious note though, I came to apologize."

"This oughta be good," she muttered. He ignored her. "Sorry if I've been a bit brash about your joining the Alliance," he said. "I was just being cautious. You never know who's being genuine or phony." He sent her a deliberate look, as if she was meant to know what he was talking about. "I'm sure you've heard of a certain motto being used around, called the DTA rule. You know, Don't Trust Anyone-"

"I know what it is," she snapped. What an idiot.

He leaned closer to her, his expression much more serious. "Old enemies are no exception to that rule, Carmen, Alliance or no Alliance. Unlike my imprudent brother, I don't trust easily."

Carmen gave him an irritated look. "Oh, so _that's_ what this is all about. Jeez Christian, Edge won King of the Ring. Edge is the cooler brother. He's a bigger star than you. Your life sucks. Get over it!"

Christian's face twitched, but he made no movement. "Look who's talking about being a star," he leered. "Why are _you_ at the Alliance? Because Lita got all the spotlight and you didn't. At least_ I_ stood up to my brother." The Canadian was bent on getting a reaction out of her. "But since you joined the Alliance, you've never even _looked_ at Lita, let alone confronted her." He moved closer so that he was talking right in her face. "Lita's the favorite to win the Women's title at Summerslam. You know why, Carmen?" His eyes twinkled mischievously as he got to his point. "Why her and not you? Because she's better than you! You know it, I know it, hell, _everyone _knows it. But it kills you that you can't do anything about it, and it's eating at you-"

He stopped short as Carmen grabbed him and yanked his face towards hers. She had obviously heard enough. "Thanks for the vote of confidence, jackass," she hissed, enjoying the look of surprise in his eyes, "but if you butt into my business again, I promise you, you're gonna regret it!"

Releasing him, she stormed towards her locker room, furious. Christian was a bastard. He didn't know what he was talking about. No one did, and she was growing sick and tired of it. She was just as good, if not _better_, than Lita, and she was going to prove it and end this bullshit once and for all. There was nothing that said that she had to wait till Summerslam.

She walked right past the locker rooms and proceeded in the direction of the Gorilla.

Lita tackled Mighty Molly to the canvas, and then mounting her, laid right hands into her head. The redhead asked for the match in order to get retribution for the attack on her backstage earlier. Lita picked Molly up and attempted a German suplex, but Molly hit her in the face and then gave her a suplex of her own, before bouncing off the ropes and hitting a nice leg drop. She proceeded to pick her up, but Lita surprised her with the Twist of Fate, much to the delight of the crowd. Lita climbed up the turnbuckle, and just as she was about to hit a Moon Sault, the Alliance entrance music blasted around the arena. Her eyes narrowed as Carmen came down towards the ring. Not wasting time, she went to the ropes, beckoning for Carmen. The distraction caused Molly to sneak up on her and steal the win with a schoolboy rollup.

By the time Lita got to her feet, Carmen was inside the ring. Never one to back down, Lita went right up to her, standing nose to nose with her former team mate. Neither of them moved for a long time, each woman boring into the eyes of the other. Carmen then pointed to Lita, and then at herself, and made the gesture of the belt being around her waist. Lita watched her with amusement before turning away. Suddenly she lunged, socking Carmen right in the face.

Completely caught off-guard, Carmen's face snapped sharply to the side as she stumbled backwards, the pain stinging all parts of her body. She held her jaw, which felt like it had been dislocated. She was used being on Lita's good side therefore she had forgotten just how hard the redhead could hit.

Carmen slowly turned back around to stare incredulously at Lita, who was now screaming in her face, hearing her words without actually listening, and the blonde Diva felt the rage and anger rise within her, popping and bubbling like molten lava.

Despite all their years of friendship, Lita was too blind, too _proud_, to see through Carmen's actions for the act that it really was. As she watched Lita taunt her, Carmen could see it in her hazel eyes that she was enjoying making Carmen look like the bad guy. Lita was relished in her spotlight as the sole female Team Xtremer, and no longer cared about what her former friend had to say; she no longer cared about _her_. As far as she was concerned, Carmen was afraid of her and considered her to be a threat.

And that thought was enough to make Carmen snap.

Lita was still taunting her, not feeling the power shifting from her possession, and her tirade only ended when Carmen slammed her fist into her face. She stumbled and fell, tripping over her own feet. Like a shark smelling blood, Carmen pounced, stomping her repeatedly in the stomach. She then pulled Lita to her feet, bent her backwards painfully and clamped her arm around her head. Carmen could hear Lita yelling in pain underneath her arm, her hands flailing about, but it seemed to spur her on. A few fans actually cringed at the wild-eyed look on the blonde's face as she prepared to unleash her deadly move. Then she dropped suddenly to the canvas, executing a Karma so vicious that Lita's body flipped over from the impact. A screaming Carmen mounted the redhead's motionless body and pounded both her fists into her face. Blood spurted from Lita's nose. Referees came in to stop Carmen, but she was not relenting from her psychotic rage. The crowd watched in shocked silence as the refs finally succeeded in dragging Carmen out of the ring and up the ramp, as far away from Lita as possible.

The gravity of what she had done hit Carmen as soon as she got to the Gorilla. She looked down at her hands and a low cry of anguish escaped her. Her blue wrist tapes were tinted red with blood. Her blonde hair was disheveled and she was still breathing hard. She felt like a monster. Distraught, she searched desperately for a stairwell. She collapsed against it and slid to the floor, covering her face with her bloody hands and surrendering to the hot, bitter tears.


	26. Chapter 26

_**Chapter 26**_

The days to Summerslam were counting down quickly, with less than a week to go. Vince raised the hopes of all WWF supporters up by finding a substitute to take on Steve Austin. That person was none other than the Olympic champion himself, Kurt Angle. It couldn't have been any more unpredictable. The world and its mother knew that Austin could never ever outwrestle Kurt Angle. On paper, it was a given. The WWF title was definitely going back to Vince's camp.

But the main talking point had now shifted to the women. Everyone from the fans to the talent had something to say about Carmen's actions on Raw is War. She'd delivered a vicious beating to Lita and if any of the rumors were to be taken seriously, Lita would not be hundred percent fit for the match at Summerslam, depleting the WWF's chances of winning one Championship. Paul Heyman and Shane McMahon, of whom Carmen had made a fan, were ecstatic. Suddenly everyone was impressed with Carmen and her upgraded mean streak. Suddenly the scales were now tipped in her favor. Lita had finally met her match in her former best friend.

Carmen endured a mix of emotions in the aftermath of that show. While she wished she had not let Christian rile her up like that, what was done was done. It could have been anybody in Lita's place. It was nothing more than a myriad of pent-up aggression and frustration that was bound to be unleashed sooner or later. And indeed, after the release, after the broken tears, Carmen felt a little bit better, more relaxed, and more focused.

She would never forget the reactions she got after that incident. It seemed that Test was now genuinely afraid of her. Even Ivory could not pretend to be unfazed by what she'd witnessed. The phone calls from the other side ranged from the scathing to the downright hilarious.

"_Jesus, Carmen! What was that?"_ Edge had blurted, sounding like he'd just recovered from an asthma attack. _"I said forget about her, not _kill _her…"_

Chris Jericho sounded borderline thrilled. _"Wow. That was impressive. I always knew you had it in you. Now I want you to channel the rest of that anger and that aggression into the right place. Keep your head in the game and come Sunday, the Women's title will be yours…"_

Sara had been the most hysterical. _"What the hell have those ECW punks been feeding you, Carmen? We don't want you in jail!"_

Taker had seized the phone from his wife. _"What she's tryna say is that we'd have preferred if it was Ivory or Molly's ass you whooped like that. But stay focused. You're almost there…"_

Carmen put all the rumors and the talk aside as D-Day loomed. Tonight on Smackdown, the final show before Summerslam saw her put in a handicap match with Ivory against Jacqueline, all contenders for the WWF Women's Championship. Unfortunately it had not gone too well. Despite getting off to a great start, Carmen had stepped up to hit Jacqueline with the Thrill Seeker, but Lita showed up and shoved her off the top turnbuckle while the ref wasn't looking, allowing Jackie to get the pin. Carmen convinced herself that the defeat was narrow and should not matter much to her. The outcome of Summerslam was much more important. She had to win that elimination match. The sooner she got that title, the sooner she'd hightail it back to the WWF and make all the possible amends with everyone.

Alone in the Women's locker room, she watched the show for a while. She laughed her head off as Chris Jericho, with the aid of the Rock berated and humiliated Stephanie McMahon. The Billion Dollar Bitch looked like she wanted to hide behind both Booker T and Rhyno. The night was getting better, after a shitty start by Carmen's standards. When she got bored of watching TV, she began to pack her things so she could go back to the hotel.

The next morning she took out her aggravations in the weight room. Carmen sighed as she dropped the weights she was using. She turned off the music that was blaring loudly through the stereo system and looked at her watch. It was still early, but she was glad she'd come at this time. Early mornings were the best times to blow off steam, according to Rob.

Rob.

Since the incident at the gym she'd barely spoken three words to him, and kept trying her damnedest to act as if nothing had ever happened between them. However, she was slowly conceding to the fact that that her ignoring him had been a bad idea. She was beginning to miss him as a proper colleague. His gym workouts were fun and innovative, and she learned something new from him every day. She could do away with the drama, but she didn't want to lose the professional relationship. But what were the chances of one not interfering with the other?

She got off the treadmill and started to pick up her bag when she halted, her mouth dropping open as she took in the identity of the person in front of her.

She stood straight and found herself staring into the cold, steely blue eyes of Stone Cold Steve Austin. He towered menacingly over her, and his features were just as off-putting. "What are you doing here?" she said, and she immediately hated how nervous she sounded.

Austin had a big, crooked smile on his face as he leaned against the wall. "Saw you on the last few shows, and you really impressed me. Then I woke up this morning, and it occurred to me that I never gave you a proper welcome to the Alliance. So I wanna make it up to you. Welcome to the Alliance, Carmen."

She looked down at his outstretched hand and then back at him. She had a feeling that that same hand would send her crashing against the wall at any moment. So she kept her arms by her sides. "Thanks."

His brows furrowed. "You won't take my hand?" he said gruffly. "I come all this way to make peace and you throw it back in my face?"

She maintained her wary, steely glare. "Come on, Carmen. I'm not gonna hurt you, not this time," he cajoled her. "Hey look, I ain't given you much reason to like me, but maybe now we're on the same page with the same goals, things might change. So whaddaya say?"

Carmen seriously doubted that anything would change. She would always hate his guts. But it was way too early in the morning to start picking fights, and with Austin no less. So reluctantly, she took his hand, shaking it firmly. She started to pull her hand away, but Austin held it firmly. "See? That wasn't so bad." Then suddenly, he jerked her towards him, making her gasp with surprise and fear. Her stomach lurched when his face bore down on hers. "I'm just hoping you're in my camp for the right reasons," he told her.

The mind games tempted to swallow her whole, but she didn't show it. She couldn't. Showing fear to Stone Cold Steve Austin was like offering a bleeding body part to a shark. Instead, she smiled, and her head cocked to the side, and she answered with a hint of amusement in her tone, "No need to panic, Austin. I think I've made it pretty clear that I want the Women's title, not yours."

Austin studied her, then seemingly satisfied, he said, "Let me not waste any more of your time, then."

He stepped aside and gestured toward the door in one huge sweep of his hand. With a small, nervous nod, and avoiding eye contact, she stepped past him.

"Great talking to you, Carmen."

She hesitated when he spoke, and then resumed walking, trying in vain to hide her hurried footsteps.

By the end of Thursday Night Smackdown, the Summerslam match card was set; Jeff was taking on Rob Van Dam in a ladder match, Rocky faced Booker T, Austin versus Kurt Angle, Jericho was up against Rhyno. The WWF Tag Champions the Brothers of Destruction wanted the other tag titles from their WCW counterparts Kanyon and DDP, but the Undertaker aimed to beat the shit out of the pervert Page first inside that steel cage, with Sara at ringside to watch. And of course, Lita, Jacqueline, Carmen and Ivory were in a fatal four-way elimination match for the newly reinstated Women's Championship. It was going to be a very good Sunday night for the average wrestling fan.

Back at the hotel, Carmen watched Ivory take off her make-up. "If I end up having to eliminate you, there'll be no hard feelings, right, Ivory?" she asked.

The older woman looked as if she was contemplating that situation, and she shook her head. "We both know it's nothing personal, Carmen. We are first and foremost Alliance, but come Summerslam, you'll just be another opponent to me."

Carmen realized that Ivory had finally learned to stop underestimating her, but deep down she wished she still did. It would have made winning the title much sweeter.

_**A/N: The stage is set for an explosive match. Next chapter: Summerslam!**_


	27. Chapter 27

_**A/N: it's my birthday today! Feb 26**__**th**__**! As my little birthday treat, here's another chapter for you: it's Summerslam! Who's gonna win the Women's title? Find out now!**_

_**Chapter 27**_

_**Summerslam**_

Carmen sat down in the locker room, tying her wrestling boots for the millionth time. God she was nervous. She'd been number one contender for the Women's title before, but she had many reasons to be nervous tonight. This was her most high-profile match to date and she was up against three good wrestlers, one of them being Lita. She wondered what would happen if it came down to just the two of them. Something told her it would. After what happened on Smackdown, their feud had become much more personal.

She put on a black off-the-shoulder crop top that had her name emblazoned on top of a red rose on the front. Ivory walked out of the bathroom, she herself dressed and all stretched out. "This is it," she said.

Carmen nodded, pulling up her red cargo pants. "Yeah." She tied a matching red bandanna on her head and started for the door. "Good luck, Ivory."

"You too, honey."

As she walked down the hallway Carmen decided to do what she had to do to get things off her chest. She knocked on Rob's locker room and walked in without waiting for an answer. He was alone, stretching for his own match, which wasn't up for another half-hour, but after hanging around him for some time now, she knew he could stretch all the way up to that time. Rob broke into a grin when he saw her. "Hey. Ready for action?"

"Can't wait," she answered, leaning against the wall. "Look, Rob, about-"

He shook his head quickly. "Forget it. It's no big deal."

She eyed him cautiously. "For real?"

"Positive!" Suddenly his voice perked up significantly. "Come on, it's Summerslam! It's a big night for you, for the Alliance. Just relax, take a deep breath. You got this."

Carmen cocked an eyebrow in slight amusement. "Wise words from the Whole F'n Show."

"Damn right." He walked up to her and held out his closed fist to her. "You go out there and kick ass like you always do."

She gazed at his hand for a moment, and then with a big grin she bumped her fist against his. "Yeah, thanks. Good luck."

"Don't need it," Rob replied with a cocky grin. Still grinning, she exited, pleased with how the encounter went and that things would be back to normal. Her mind refocused on the match at hand. She had done enough rigorous training with Ivory and Rob Van Dam. It was all up to her now to bring it home for the Alliance. Or in reality, for the WWF. But no one needed to know that.

As she he turned the corner towards the Gorilla position she nearly ran into someone. Gravity brought her crashing back down as she stared into Steve Austin's face. He was grinning, eyeing her like she was some piece of meat. But she just didn't want any trouble with him, not when she was about to go into a grueling match in a few seconds.

"Sorry," she mumbled, and began to walk past him, but he moved in front of her. She cast him an apprehensive glance and moved again, but he followed her. What the hell did he want?

Austin stared at her for a few more seconds. "Just wanna wish you good luck. Bring 'em home for the Alliance." he said, finally stepping aside for her to pass. She walked past him wordlessly, rolling her eyes in distaste. She fervently hoped Kurt beat his ass tonight.

The familiar Team Extreme entrance music blasted through the arena, mixed with loud pops from the crowd. Carmen watched her former teammate walk down the ramp, the redhead's game face prevalent as always as she joined Jacqueline outside the ring. The four of them stood staring down each other, the Alliance in the ring, the WWF on the outside. Lita and Jacqueline then slid into the ring, and the match exploded.

Jacqueline was on Carmen like a pit bull, cutting off all her breathing space as she grabbed her in a standing headlock, trying to ground her. In a desperate attempt to fight the hold, Carmen punched the much shorter woman repeatedly in the head, forcing her to let go. She started chopping at her chest. Jacqueline pushed her off and hit a standing drop kick. Carmen kicked out of the count at one. Carmen kicked Jackie in the stomach and threw her at the ropes. Jackie reversed the throw and Carmen made a return with a head scissors takedown. Carmen looked in the corner of the eye and saw that Ivory was holding her own against Lita at the other side of the ring. Carmen pulled Jackie to her feet and tossed her to the turnbuckle. She then ran for her, aiming for a splash, but Jacqueline countered with a drop toehold and her face bounced off the turnbuckle, gaining an "ohh" from the crowd. Jacqueline pulled her in an inside cradle, going for the pin, but Carmen kicked out. Jacqueline then executed a brutal snap suplex on her and tossed her outside of the ring. Carmen seized the chance to try to shrug off the stabbing pain from both her nose and back. She slowly made her way back up the apron and saw that Jacqueline and Lita were now double-teaming Ivory. She climbed back into the ring, only for Jackie to hit her with a baseball slide, and she went crashing into the security rail, hitting the back of her head. Carmen heard the bell ring and groaned as she heard Howard Finkel announce that Ivory had been eliminated. Great. She was on her own now, so she had to act real fast from now on.

Pinpointing her target, and she struck like a cobra. Getting up on the apron, she leapt off the top rope and wrapped her thighs around Jackie's neck, nailing her with a springboard hurricanrana. The sheer power of the move flipped the petite woman over like a pancake, throwing her out of the ring. Carmen got to her feet and adjusted her gloves. It was now or never. Even Lita was not going to stop her from winning this title. The crowd began to buzz with eager anticipation – this was the showdown they'd all been waiting for.

Lita saw Carmen and immediately marched up to her. Both women stood nose to nose in the middle of the ring. Lita taunted her, egging her to take the first shot. But the first time ever, Carmen could see doubt in her friend's eyes, and Carmen couldn't help but think what a pity it was that she had had to give Lita a beatdown to invoke second thoughts. Carmen felt terrible for what she'd done, but it was a cruel necessity. She only hoped Lita would understand when she eventually came clean.

Carmen felt movement in the ring, and it wasn't coming from either her or Lita. In a flash she dropped to the canvas, landing in a sideway split, and milliseconds later Jacqueline plowed straight into the redhead, sending them both flying. As she got up Carmen let out a sigh of relief, knowing full well that the Spear was meant for her and not Lita. She scuttled over to a shocked Jacqueline and hit her with Karma. The back of Jacqueline's head bounced off the canvas. Carmen hooked her leg, and the referee got the three-count. The cheers of the crowd indicated that it was now one on one. It was WWF versus Alliance. Extreme versus extreme. Lita versus Carmen.

Carmen hurried over to Lita, who was curled in a fetal position resulting from the spear, and hooked her leg. The redhead kicked out at two-and-a-half. Carmen picked her up and Irish-whipped her into the corner. She charged but was caught with a boot to the face, stumbling backwards. Lita went up the turnbuckle and went for the Lita-canrana, but Carmen caught her in mid-air and power-bombed her onto the canvas, prompting screams from the fans, awe-struck by this innovative counter. Carmen went for the pin. Two-count. Then pulling Lita up with her, she herself climbed up the turnbuckle and wrapped her arm around Lita's neck for the Thrill Seeker, but the redhead socked her in the temple and climbed up after her, hooking one arm around Carmen's neck and with the other grabbing the waistband of her red pants. The crowd went wild as the two women came crashing back down to the canvas, Lita having performed a beautiful super-plex from the top rope.

Carmen shot upright, arching her back in pain. Managing to shrug off the impact on her own body, Lita pushed her back down and covered her. Carmen threw up an arm right before three. Lita pulled her to her feet and punched her in the face. Carmen retaliated and socked her right in her jaw. It went back and forth and soon turned into a slugfest, each woman taking out their frustration on the other, trying to tear each other apart. Then in an unexpected move, Lita gave Carmen a vicious kick to her abdomen, sending her crashing to the mat. The air left her lungs, and Carmen could almost swear she had cracked a rib. Her thoughts were cut short as Lita continued to stomp on her weak point, driving more precious oxygen out of her lungs. The assault only ended when Carmen managed to lash out with a high kick, nailing Lita in the shin. The redhead stumbled backwards, but the pain seemed short-lived as she gingerly shook the pain out of her leg. She seized a handful of Carmen's hair and pulled her to her feet, locking her arm around her head to perform the Twist of Fate. But in a fluid, flawless counter, Carmen wrenched out of the move, yanking Lita down and hitting a powerful Karma. Carmen crumpled beside the fallen redhead, still holding onto her stomach. She hoped to God that she hadn't broken anything. She needed to continue this match; she had to _win_ this match.

Willing herself mentally, she dragged Lita near the corner before making another ascent up the turnbuckle. But no sooner had she gotten up there did Lita rise from the dead, racing up the top rope after her, intending to end this match with another super-plex. But Carmen, with a fresh rush of adrenalin flowing through her, threw her arms out, catching Lita in the shoulders before the redhead had even made it all the way up. Playtime was over. She could literally taste the title. The fans were all out of their seats holding a collective breath. She jumped, flipping several times in mid-air and landing on Lita's midsection with the 450 degree splash, a brand new move that couldn't have been more perfect. As soon as she hit the move, Carmen spread herself over Lita, too weak to even hook her leg. It happened in a matter of seconds, but to Carmen it seemed like an eternity.

"One! Two! _Three_!"

Everything seemed to be going in slow motion from then on, from when Earl Hebner handed the red and gold belt to her, to the fans' deafening cheers, and hearing Howard Finkel's voice:

"The winner of this match, and _new_ WWF Women's champion: Carmen!"

At those words tears sprang to her eyes. Still on her knees, she stared at the belt, and then looked out into the crowd. Being an Alliance member she was often booed, but this time every single person in that arena was on their feet clapping, a few of them chanting her name, in gratitude for putting on such a good performance, and in respect for a hard-fought win.

She looked down at the title – _her_ title – again, in utmost awe. She had done it. For the first time ever, Carmen was the WWF Women's champion.

And with a big, satisfied smile on her face, she got gingerly to her feet, and proudly raised her title up for the world to see.


	28. Chapter 28

_Monday Night Raw, post-Summerslam_

_Jim Ross_: Good evening ladies and gentlemen and welcome to Monday Night RAW! We are fresh off a slobber-knocker of a pay-per-view in Summerslam. The aftermath has left both entities, the WWF and the Alliance, neck and neck. From the WWF, Edge is the new Intercontinental champion after defeating Lance Storm, Kane and the Undertaker are the new Unified Tag Team Champions, and the Rock beat Booker T for his very first WCW championship.

_Paul Heyman_: Yeah, but on the Alliance's side, RVD retains his Hardcore title, we have a new and worthy Women's champion in Carmen, who, I might add, has officially taken over from Lita as the most dominant female in wrestling today, and Austin is still WWF champion after a hard-fought battle with Kurt Angle-

_JR_: Austin cheated!

_Heyman_: Shut up! And tonight, ladies and gentlemen, tonight is the night the Alliance do what the WWF have never had the class to do, to show well-deserved appreciation for the greatest WWF champion in history, Stone Cold Steve Austin, who in my opinion, I might add…

_JR (rolling his eyes)_: Aw, King, where are you?

--------

"Don't tell me you got Austin a present?" Carmen asked, an amused smile creeping up her lips.

Test dumped the box on the table before him. "Fuck no!" he replied, offended that she would think such a thing. "Wearing a shirt with his name on it is quite enough. Stephanie asked me to hold on to it."

"Stone Cold Appreciation Night." She rolled her eyes. "What a joke." She hoisted her Women's title up her shoulders, posing proudly in front of the mirror. It was just over twenty-four hours after her win, and yet it felt like it had been forever. The belt looked and felt so good on her. She could get used to this.

There was a sound of clapping, and Stephanie walked into the locker room. "Okay everybody!" she screamed at the top of her lungs, causing most of them to cover their ears. "We're on in five minutes! I want you all out there with your presents and wearing your Austin t-shirts!"

Stephanie stopped as she saw RVD coming towards her. "Hi, Rob." She flashed him a big, seductive grin.

Rob sent her a quick, distracted glance. "Hey Steph." He walked past her, much to the brunette's shock, and strolled over to Carmen. "What's up, Champ?" he greeted. Over his shoulder, Carmen could see Stephanie staring a hole through her, the hate radiating off her even from that distance, and Carmen gloated. She always reveled in the victories she got over the Billion Dollar Bitch. When was she going to realize that money and super-augmented boobies couldn't get her everything?

--------

"Wow, I can't believe I'm here in the same ring as Stone Cold Steve Austin…" Kanyon gushed, holding up a brand new "Who Better than Austin?" T-shirt for the Rattlesnake as the rest of the Alliance members clapped whole-heartedly. As litanies of praises were heaped on Austin, Carmen ran her hand down her face. "I can't believe this," she muttered under her breath.

Suddenly a shrill voice rang all around the arena, causing Carmen to cringe. Obviously Stephanie had taken the microphone and had started talking.

"We, your loyal, grateful members of the Alliance, composed a song just for you, and we're all going to sing it to you right here in this very ring…"

Composed? They ripped off an ancient Bette Midler song, for God's sake! "Oh my God," Carmen moaned, cringing as the "singing" started. It was unbearable; Stephanie's screeching, the off-key notes. She wished she brought earplugs.

"Carmen!"

She jumped. Austin was standing right in front of her, the microphone in his hand, staring her down with his creepy blue eyes. "You ain't singin'," he observed, "Why ain't you singin'? You got a problem with the song?"

The other Alliance members turned to stare. She felt their eyes but said nothing. She simply adjusted her belt on her shoulders, drawing herself to her full height and holding Austin's gaze. If there was anything she was going to accomplish in this place, refusing to let Austin intimidating her was going to be one of them. Austin frowned, backing away and looking at the rest of them.

"You know what happens to people who don't sing my song? What?"

Before he had a chance to demonstrate, Kurt Angle's music boomed. It was the best sound Carmen had ever heard.

--------

Carmen could not have felt more grateful to Kurt Angle. Though drenched in milk, his "Milk-o-mania moment" had probably saved her from an ass-kicking. She did not like the way Austin looked at her, like he knew something she didn't. It was unsettling. She suddenly needed a drink, something other than lactose, and she needed to get out of here.

She was approaching a vending machine when Edge caught up with her. "Hey." He took her hand and led her behind the machine, obscuring them. He swiped her face with his finger and put it in his mouth. "Mm! Homogenized."

"Edge!"

"Okay, okay! Wait, one second." He smacked his lips loudly, causing her to roll her eyes. "I had to come see you," he said. He adjusted his Intercontinental title on his shoulder and patted Carmen's own. "You did it," he said with a grin. "Congrats."

She smiled. "Thanks. You too."

"Yeah."

He sighed. Carmen caught the wistful look on his face and knew he was thinking about his brother. She couldn't blame him. It was moments like these that were meant to be shared with family, but his wanted nothing to do with him. It had to be hard for Edge.

Just then more people begin to file out into the hallway. "The show's over," said Carmen. "I gotta go."

"Me too. Be careful, Carmen."

"Okay." She looked up at him, bewildered by the intensity in his green eyes. He looked like he wanted to say something else, but he took off without another word. Carmen watched him, wondering what that was about.

She turned and nearly screamed when she saw Christian popping out through the door. Her eyes frantically scanned the hall, as did Christian's. It was obvious he knew something was up. Luckily Edge was faster than he looked. "Sneaking up on me now, Christian?"

"You were talking to someone," Christian insisted.

"In case you didn't notice, there are people everywhere." she smirked, hands on her hips.

"I'm going to catch you," he snarled. "You're up to something and I'm going to find out what it is."

"You don't know what you're talking about," Carmen replied coolly.

"Like hell I don't! You're a fraud and we both know it! Soon everyone will, too."

He trudged away, leaving the words hanging in the air so that she would know he meant every syllable. Carmen blew out a relieved breath. Christian was obsessed but it was paying off. There was no doubt that he was getting closer.

---------

As they sat together at the hotel bar after the show, Carmen had almost forgotten how great RVD was to hang out with. He made her laugh. He was also quite insightful and more observant than people thought him to be. There were many sides to Rob that not many people got to see, but in the past few months, Carmen felt privileged to have let in on the mystery that was Rob Van Dam.

"I saw you with Christian earlier tonight," he said to her. "I hope he wasn't bothering you."

Carmen's heart beat faster on hearing Christian's name. "Oh, you saw that?" she asked with her best act at nonchalance. "It was nothing."

"Didn't look like nothing. You looked like you were about to smack him in the face."

She shrugged. "So we don't get along. Big deal." When he didn't look convinced, she patted the side of his arm. "Put the cape away, judo boy. I can fight my own battles."

Rob laughed and rolled his eyes. Both of them sat in relaxed silence as they sipped their beers, soaking in the environment around them. Cheesy eighties' rock music played softly in the background. The only other people around were the bartender and three middle-aged men sitting at the other side of the bar.

"I've been talking with Heyman," Rob said quietly, still focused on his beer.

Carmen's ears perked up immediately. Finally, Heyman's game plan was about to be revealed! "About what?"

"He wants to give me a title shot against Austin."

_Oh shit! 'Taker!_ "Wow!" said Carmen. "That's great!" Her smile faltered when she noted the uncertainty on the Hardcore Champion's face. "What?"

"I don't know, Carmen. It just sounds surreal. Who would've thought all that time when I was in ECW, that I'd ever be in contention for the WWF Championship? Still can't believe it, really."

"I feel hesitation coming from you," she said. The resigned look in his eyes clarified this. "Are you worried about what the other Alliance guys will think?"

Scoffing, Rob shook his head. "Nah, I know a lot of people in the Alliance won't mind me being Champion. My problem is Austin. He's so damn paranoid that he probably won't even let me get a sniff at his title. It's bad enough that the WWF is on his ass. Now me, one of his own, is after his gold too. No offence, but he's not as good a wrestler as he thinks he is. He gets away with a lot of shit. This whole kissing ass shit we gotta do for him, it's not my thing, you know? I like to act like the happy-go-lucky dude who doesn't really give a fuck, but when I want something, I go for it. And come to think of it, I do want that WWF title."

Carmen gaped at him. She knew Austin and Rob Van Dam were not BFFs, but never had Rob been so brutally outspoken about it. She concluded that it was the booze talking.

"My loyalty to the Alliance will never waver, but sometimes I think Austin needs to be taken down a peg or two, you know?" he continued. "Angle couldn't do it. I definitely can. I'm better than Austin with my eyes closed. I deserve a shot at that title."

"So go for it," Carmen said, secretly goading him. "It's only fair he gives you a shot. You deserve it, and I know you can win it hands down."

Rob looked at her, his eyes dancing with amusement. "You have a lot of faith in me."

Carmen shrugged, sipping her beverage again. "_You_ did with me," she answered simply.

"And with good reason." He reached for her hand, intertwining his fingers in hers and kissing the back of her hand. "I know this will sound cheesy and shit, but it's true. Something deep down told me to trust you, Carmen," he said. "I don't know what, but it told me I should, that I won't be disappointed. It's been right so far."

Guilt stabbed at her with a hot knife. "Rob, I…" she started timidly, raising her eyes to his. But she broke off when their eyes met. The way he was looking at her was spine-tingling. The kiss at the gym really smashed the boundary between them. They'd had a taste and were now yearning for more. She was doing a good enough job holding out, but if he kept looking at her like that she was going to give him everything he wanted. She forced herself to tear her gaze away from his and put her beer bottle into her mouth, in a lame attempt to ignore her racing heart. But there was no more denying it. Carmen's feelings for Rob Van Dam were growing stronger and stronger by the minute, and she was helpless to stop it.

_**A/N: REVIEWS, PLEASE!!!! Much love to the peeps that have!**_


	29. Chapter 29

_**A/N: Man, thank you to everyone for the reviews. It was starting to look like a lost cause, like no one gave a damn about anything I wrote, but the responses have been awesome. Thank you! Some of you might be surprised by what goes on in this chapter, but I wanted to return the battle going on between the two factions to the forefront, and also why Austin is really the one Carmen should watch out for. Enjoy!**_

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It was morning, and Ivory was still wearing last night's clothes. She crept into the room like a thief, hoping not to wake Carmen. She shut the door carefully and silently.

"You sneaky little vamp!"

Ivory gasped and spun around, clutching at her heart. "Carmen! I thought you were asleep."

Carmen sat up straighter, her mouth open with incredulity. "You fucked Test, didn't you?"

The older woman's face went red. "No! We were…talking."

"All night? Liar. Test is not that patient."

Ivory tossed her pillow at her. Carmen ducked, trying to stifle her laughter. "So tell me, from one woman to another. Was he good?"

A small moan escaped Ivory's lips as she reminisced. "The best."

Carmen howled with laughter at the sudden, unabashed admission. At least her roommate was distracted enough to not notice the friendship, or whatever the hell it was that was unfolding between her and Rob. As much as she hated to admit it, she enjoyed the attention he gave her. She liked him a lot, but not enough to wager her career over him.

She was unaware that sooner or later, that confident declaration would be put to the test.

* * *

The Brothers of Destruction, Chris Jericho and Kurt Angle were in Vince's hotel room. The Chairman had just outlined another daring plan to deal with Austin. "It's gonna be a raw, old-fashioned beat-down," he told them, "nothing fancy about it. We'll put him in a hospital for an entire year if we have to!" Vince's dark eyes fired with purpose. "I've played dirty before. When it has to do with protecting my assets, I sure as hell have no problem doing it again."

The wrestlers in the room exchanged glances, and each wore an expression of agreement. "Name the time and place," Taker said.

"Smackdown. We lay low up till the end of the show. We have to make sure he doesn't see it coming. Let the defectors in on it so they'll be out of sight." A sadistic smile broke out on Vince's face. "Austin disappeared for no reason before. Let's give him a real reason to be out of action this time."

There was yet another impromptu meeting summoned by Austin just two hours before Smackdown. To Carmen, it was starting to feel like random drug-testing, specially designed to see if she would fail.

"Listen up!" Austin barked. "I heard through the grapevine that the WWF have made plans to ambush me tonight."

The cronies murmured their dissent. Carmen's mouth started to fall open, but she caught herself just in time. Taker just told them about the plan _that_ afternoon. How the hell did Austin already hear about it? She glanced at Test, who shrugged in response, looking as stunned as she felt.

Chuck Palumbo got to his feet. "You know we'd never ever let anything to happen to you, Steve!" he announced passionately. Carmen rolled her eyes as the rest of the room voiced their agreement. Fucking kiss-asses.

Austin grinned. "I appreciate that, Chuck. But I decided to get myself a bodyguard."

Excited gasps rang out. Carmen noticed, hilariously enough, that some of the guys actually looked hopeful that their great leader would bestow them with this honor. "My bodyguard will have the privilege of accompanying me everywhere I go," he elaborated. "Whether I wanna wrestle, whether I wanna take a damn piss, that person is gonna be there! We start tonight and it will be one of you sitting in this room."

He was walking around, watching everyone. Carmen was fighting to keep a cool exterior. The interior however, was boiling with fury. Someone had spilled the beans on Vince's plan. She wished she knew who this "grapevine" was so she could strangle him!

Suddenly she was being lifted out of her chair and on her feet. She would have definitely lost her balance if not that she was being held in a vice grip. She found herself standing face-to-face with the Texas Rattlesnake. "Well, well," he cooed, looking highly amused as he watched the realization dawn on her. "I think this is your lucky day, _Champ_."

* * *

"_A bodyguard_?"

The three men stared at Chris Jericho, who repeated himself before adding, "That's what I heard."

Kane rubbed his mask, and could be heard chuckling softly. "When did Austin become such a pussy?" Taker asked rhetorically, rolling his eyes. He moved away from them and went into the bathroom.

"How the heck did he know about the plan?" Kurt asked.

"We'll deal with that later," Chris put in. "I say we go after them right now, him _and _the bodyguard."

"Look!" Kane suddenly exclaimed, pointing at the TV. Kurt went closer to the TV and gasped. "Son of a bitch! It's Carmen!"

Taker dashed out of the bathroom, shooting the Olympic champion a puzzled glare. "What?"

"Carmen is Austin's bodyguard! Look!" he pointed. "That's her! I can't believe this guy!"

Undertaker looked, and sure enough, there she was inside the ring, standing rigidly in front of Austin as he addressed the fans, holding her arm tightly. Undertaker cursed under his breath. He wouldn't put it past Austin to use a woman a quarter his size as a shield. This just got really complicated, really fast.

"We can't do it, not with her in the way," Kane said, the bitterness clouding his voice.

"We don't have a choice, Kane," Taker said quietly, earning a surprised grunt from the Big Red Machine. But the older man was right. How long would they keep waiting for Austin to drop the ball? It had to be now or never. "We will find a way to get her out of the picture. But we gotta move fast. Come on!"

* * *

"Ow!" Carmen hissed. "You're hurting me!"

She winced as Austin's massive, callous hands gripped her arms like a blood pressure strap. He steered her around, looking left and right and over his shoulder. Carmen grimaced at his shifty eyes. Fucking coward! "You're despicable, you know that?" she growled, trying to pull away from him. "You could have picked any man standing in that room, and you settled for lil' old me."

He sneered. "You're the Women's Champion. You're the best damn possible bodyguard I coulda ever got. Them bastards backed off the minute they realized it was you."

"You know what? I'm getting sick of this," Carmen said, spinning around to face him. "You really got it in for me, huh? Wasn't what you did to me enough? Don't you understand that I want absolutely _nothing_ to do with you?"

The look he gave her in response melted the rest of her words away and sent bone-chilling shivers down her spine. The last time he looked at her like that was right before the brutal beating he and triple H delivered to her some months ago when they were still known as the Two-Man power trip. His long-term absence a while ago had almost made her forget the psychotic obsession Austin used to have with her. He showed up at her matches and got her disqualified. He harassed her and Lita and assaulted them both with steel chairs. He destroyed the Hardy brothers when they came to their defense. Now she was alone with him, with no Team Xtreme to back her up. These ten seconds standing face to face with him made her realize that she may have made a mistake joining the Alliance. Because one thing was certain. If Austin found out her true allegiance, there was no doubt that he would kill her.

Suddenly Austin's eyes grew wider as he looked past Carmen. She barely had time to turn around before he shoved her towards the danger, a cowardly act in a bid to protect himself.

Carmen missed Tajiri's green mist by millimeters, but her quickness aided her again. She ducked and rolled into a corner just as a mass brawl exploded in the hallway. Booker T was at loggerheads with the Rock, and Austin was being pummeled by Kurt Angle. Jericho and Rhyno were slugging it out. Taker, Kane and Edge fought with Palumbo, O'Haire and Lance Storm respectively. Carmen scrambled around, seeking an escape route, but a body knocked right into her, making her fall on her ass. A deafening crash sounded, as she looked up in horror as a fifteen-foot ladder hurtled down towards her.

But before she knew it she was on the other side of the hallway, having miraculously avoided the ladder. Rob had gotten to her just in time, scooping her away from the danger. Carmen had never been happier to see him in her life.

"Wanna get out of here?" he asked coolly, like they were about to depart a boring movie. Shaken, she nodded her head fervently, holding onto him tightly as he gathered her in his arms and carried her away, unnoticed, from the fracas.

* * *

Watching in the shadows as Steve Austin led Carmen backstage were Billy Gunn and X-Pac. But they were engaged in a rather heated, mindless debate. "I say we take the bitch out first, and then we get Austin," Billy suggested.

"What do we care about her?" said X-Pac, raising an eyebrow, "she's not that big a threat."

"Nothing wrong with roughing her up a little. I never liked the broad anyway."

X-Pac nodded impatiently. "Fine, whatever. We attack from behind, and-"

Suddenly there was a loud smack, and uttering a pained yelp X-Pac crumpled to the ground. Astonished, Billy Gunn turned only to find a steel chair coming at his face. He dropped as quickly as X-Pac did.

A hooded Trish dumped the chair and skipped over the motionless bodies of the former D-Generation X members, stalking away right before the brawl ensued. No doubt, if they got to find out it was her who jumped them she was going to be in deep shit.

The things she did for someone she didn't even consider to be a friend.


	30. Chapter 30

_**A/N: Big thanks to i luv hardy and**__**xPricelessPeep**__** for the constant support. I appreciate it. Now chapter 30. From here on now I promise I won't drag this out any longer.**_

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_**Chapter 30**_

Rob got Carmen to his locker room safe and sound. He sat with her on the sofa. "You okay?" he asked.

She nodded, looking down to dust off her crop top. "I'm fine. Austin just _adores _me, doesn't he?" she added sarcastically.

"He's an asshole," Rob commented, causing her to laugh again. "I don't think he'll appreciate you calling him that," said Carmen, raising an eyebrow in amusement. "He might just throw your title shot out the window."

Rob shrugged. "I don't give a fuck. And I told you before; I call it like I see it." He held out his arms to her. "Come. Relax."

She scooted closer and rested her head on his shoulder, sighing when his arms wrapped around her. He was so warm, so comfortable. She looked up to tell him thank you, but her lips accidentally brushed his when she lifted her head. Time seemed to freeze as both gazed at each other for a moment. Then Rob lowered his head again and kissed her fully on the mouth, engulfing her in his arms, and she melted instantly. Oh wow. So warm and soft, so sweet and dangerous. She sighed, feeling herself float away as her lips moved in rhythm with his. He was just begging, begging her to take him right there on that sofa. She would just take him up on his offer if he kept swirling his tongue inside her mouth like that. She ran her tongue over his bottom lip, gasping softly as he countered by sucking on her tongue. Then breaking their kiss, he planted hot, wet kisses on her throat, and she angled her head to give him better access, hugging him tightly.

He laid her down on the sofa and climbed on top of her, settling between her legs. They made out ravenously, their hands roaming each other's bodies. Rob grabbed her leg, stroking it first before bringing it around his waist, then did the same with the other leg. Her fingers slid underneath his T-shirt, running them over his back, enjoying the way the muscles twitched at her touch. In a bold move, he began slowly rocking his hips back and forth, dry-humping her, causing her to moan into his mouth. He fumbled with the waistband of her pants, trying to take them off. It was then that the sirens in her head blasted once again, becoming more persistent with each passing second. Unable to ignore them any longer, Carmen used a mammoth effort to push him off of her.

"This is a bad idea," she stated, getting to her feet, but stumbling a bit as she did. Damn it, he'd left her so turned on that she could barely stand. And judging from the bulge in his pants, Rob obviously felt the same way, and he couldn't keep the frustration out of his voice. "How?" he snapped, getting to his feet and glaring at her.

"It's complicated, okay?"

"Since when does two consenting adults hooking up become complicated?"

_When there's a whole lot of dishonesty involved_, Carmen thought sadly. How could she tell him that this whole thing was scaring her? Because it was. He was turning into an addiction. She couldn't stop fantasizing about him. She couldn't stay away from him no matter how hard she tried. Her self-control slipped further and further away every time she was with him. While getting involved with any of the men at the top of the Alliance food chain was admittedly a tributary part of her plans, developing feelings for them was not. She was supposed to be using him, and she was starting to feel her conscience poke at her. She had to keep reminding herself that she and Rob could not be together, because everything they'd have would be built on a lie. "I don't know if this is what I really want, Rob."

"So what do you want, Carmen?" he said angrily, clenching his fists. "Look. We're attracted to each other, period. Why the hell do you feel the need to play games?"

"I'm not playing games, Rob," she maintained, nervously raking her fingers through her hair. "I just…I can't do this. I have to leave."

She picked up her Championship belt. Rob stared at it for a moment, and then looked back at her. His brown eyes were bright with anger. "You know, the guys were right about you," he said, his voice dripping with malice. "You are a tease!"

She was so shocked that she visibly flinched, but the shock was quickly replaced with red-hot fury "So because I'm not gonna spread my legs at the snap of your fingers like all the other hoes in the Alliance would, I'm a tease?" she retorted, seething. "Because I got a sense of self-control, I'm a tease? Well maybe I actually _don't _want you, Van Dam! You ever thought about that, Mr. 'Whole Fuckin' Show'? That maybe you're nothing more than a distraction to me? So we made out for five seconds. Big fucking deal! You're a fun ride, but it don't mean shit to me, you understand? This is what I care about!"

She held up her title in front of him, almost shoving it in his face. "This baby right here is the only thing that means something to me Van Dam, so call me names all you want. I have what _I_ want, and it's definitely not you. Get over it!"

Her tirade stopped short when she let out a squeal of alarm as Rob lunged. The sudden movement caught her so off-guard that she was unable to get out of the way on time. In two long strides he had her backed up against the wall. She stared at him with panicked eyes, her heart beating rapidly. They were all alone in the locker room, so nothing could stop him from doing whatever he wanted to her. She couldn't tell from the way he was glaring down at her if he wanted to hit her or kiss her. Both options terrified her.

"Come on, beautiful," Rob drawled, tucking away a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "That little sermon you just gave? We both know that's bullshit."

He caught her chin between his fingers and ran his thumb over her lips, and that simple action sent ripples of desire through Carmen's spine. Her eyes fluttered shut and she shivered, loathing, and at the same time, loving the way his touch provoked the most sensuous responses in her body. He placed his other hand against the wall and dipped his head towards her face.

"You want me, Carmen," he said simply. "You want me like a man in the middle of the desert wants water," he said in her ear, his voice a disarmingly seductive whisper. "I feel it in the way you kiss me. But you won't admit it to yourself. What do you call that, huh? I call it denial."

Carmen couldn't answer, not with his mouth so dangerously close to hers. Any closer and they would be making out again. One touch, just one millisecond of contact was all she needed for her to break.

"You're not that hard to read, Carmen," he went on, torturing her with the sound of his silky smooth baritone, "I've seen the way those gorgeous blue eyes of yours stare at me, watch me when you think I'm not looking. You want me as much as I want you, and I'm gonna prove it again."

Without warning he leaned down and pressed his lips to hers again. This time she tried to push him off, pressing her hands against his chest. But it was a feeble attempt, and she felt herself give in to him again. Rob was strong and even worse, determined. Pressing her up further against the wall, he parted her legs with his knee, and Carmen gasped when she felt his hard-on pressing against her. She shivered as his hand slithered up her bare back, caressing her exposed skin. Dear God, he was right. She wanted him. She wanted him to have his way with her right there in the corner of that locker room, to pin her against the wall and fuck her over and over until they couldn't move anymore.

But she didn't bring herself to tell him any of this. She _couldn't_. So she did the next best thing. Summoning all of her strength, she pushed him away and then slapped him hard in the face. The impact of her hand rocked his face to the side, causing him to stagger backwards.

"Don't you _ever_ put your hands on me again," she snarled, trying to catch her breath at the same time. She was unsure where exactly the viciousness was coming from, but all she knew was that she had to fight. Fight her urges. Fight _him_. "I told you not to distract me, but you just couldn't listen, could you? So let's get this straight once and for all. You see me coming this way, go the other way. Unless we're tag-teaming, don't touch me. I've had enough. I'll say it again; I don't need you, I sure as hell don't want you, not now, not ever!"

Without another word, or even a backward glance, Carmen stomped out of the room, filled with both rage and desire. And wait till she got her hands on all those bozos that called her a tease. She knew them all; Hugh Morrus, Tommy Dreamer, Justin Credible; all those assholes who had made a pass at her one time or the other, assholes she would never have come at with a ten-foot pole. Oh, just wait. They'd all be sitting on their broke asses hitting on the waitresses at Hooters.

Several feet away, Stephanie McMahon spotted the blonde woman storm out of the private locker room. Seconds later Rob emerged looking strangely, rather triumphant. Her brow furrowed as various conclusions swept through her mind. And she didn't like any of them, not one bit.


	31. Chapter 31

_**Chapter 31**_

Carmen and Ivory pulled into the arena in the early afternoon for Monday Night Raw. The Women's Champion received warm greetings from most of the Alliance members she passed by. She had to say that her relationship with a majority of the wrestlers over the past few weeks had improved greatly. Those who were not completely convinced at the Initiation ceremony, or even when Matt attacked her, were won over after SummerSlam. Now she was finally getting treated as one of them, one of their own.

As they went backstage, she spotted Rob in the hallway talking to Paul Heyman – something he seemed to be doing quite a lot lately. However, she started to move in the other direction. She didn't want to have to meet with him until during the show. But Ivory just had to spoil things for her by going over to them to say hi. She could feel his eyes boring through her, but she refused to meet them. She simply muttered a quick hello and steered Ivory away. Of course, never one to ignore something that felt odd to her, Ivory remarked, "Well, that was weird. What's up with you two _now_?"

Carmen chose to ignore her. Ivory's questions regarding Van Dam were now bordering on incessant following the incident in the hallway at the last show. What she couldn't ignore however, was the leery, devious expression on Heyman's face as he addressed her, almost like there was some piece of info he was refusing to disclose. She had a weird, ominous feeling that she couldn't quite shake off. There was no way he knew anything. Her tracks were covered. The only way anyone in the Alliance would find out was if she walked up to the person and told him herself.

She spent about an hour alone, getting her things ready for the show and sending feedback to Taker via text. When she was finished, she watched the stagehands set up the ring. Most of the wrestlers sat or stood in the stands separated into little groups, either gossiping or strategizing. Carmen was no longer worried about finding out what anyone was plotting. Before the start of a show someone usually put their daring plan in the open for Austin's approval.

And inadvertently for her use.

Booker T and Rhyno stood at ringside a few feet away, and as she went past them, she overheard bits of their conversation. "So I hear Test is in line to go after the IC title…" Rhyno was saying, and her steps immediately slowed.

Booker snorted derisively. "That right? Says who?"

"Shane McMahon. Who else?"

Both men spoke in a tone that Carmen could only describe as jealousy. And maybe to an extent, as longtime servants of their respective companies, they were right to feel aggrieved. The Canadian had moved up the ranks of the Alliance in a short space of time and was now in the upper tier of the food chain. However, though it was common knowledge that that Test now had Shane McMahon in his palm, she had a gut feeling that the WCW owner was being generous to the Canadian partly to make up for his and his sister's betrayal. Either way, Carmen thought that was a good thing, because it meant Test was doing his job.

It _had_ been quite some time since she and Test actually sat down together and talked. Both of them had drifted apart in the past few weeks, but she had good reason as she was busy defending the Women's title and digging information out of Rob Van Dam and company. And now that for once, Ivory was not hanging onto the Canadian, maybe they could talk. She found him sitting by himself in the middle row of the stands. "Hey Test," she greeted when she was close enough for him to hear her. He looked up, but his face quickly sobered as he took in the presence in front of him. "Hey," he said stiffly.

"So, I heard you're in the title hunt again," she said, standing between his legs, leaning against the fold-up seat in front of the big man. "IC title."

"Yeah," he answered briefly with a shrug. "Shane told me."

Carmen felt her insides bubble with discomfort at the curtness of his responses, but she nodded. "Wow! I'm happy for you! But it would have been nice if you told me about it. We'd have gone out and celebrated or something."

"Oh, was I supposed to tell you?" he said mockingly. "I didn't know, seeing as we've not spoken in days."

Okay, something was wrong. "What's with the hostility, Test? You know I've been busy-"

"Busy fuckin' RVD from what I've been hearing!" Test snapped, glaring hard at her.

Silence fell like an anvil between them at his sudden, harsh outburst. As she let the accusation process in her head, her blue doe-eyes narrowed to thin slits. "You son of a bitch!" she said in a low voice.

Realizing he had hit a nerve, Test backed down a bit. "Look, Carmen, there's been rumors-"

"Oh, and I wonder _who_ you heard it from!" she retorted angrily, crossing her arms. There could only be one person who was feeding Test this kind of bullshit and her name was Ivory. She was the only person taking an active interest in her "love life". Carmen now had to wonder exactly how much she had said to Test, or even how much she knew, seeing as her problems with RVD almost always occurred behind closed doors. "So you're gonna listen to Ivory instead of me, huh? And who the hell are _you _to talk about fucking the enemy? Last time I checked, you're up Ivory's ass every other night…literally!"

"Hey, listen-" Test started again.

"No, _you_ listen!" She cut him off in an outburst of her own, jabbing her finger into his chest with authority. So this was why he was mad at her, over petty _gossip_ he didn't even know the truth to? She wasn't having it, not for one second. "I'm only going to say this once. I am _not_ sleeping with Van Dam! We're close because I _have_ to be. But since you wanna know what I'm doing with Van Dam so badly, I'll break 'em down for you."

She began counting each one off her fingers. "He helps me with training. He helped me win my title. Since I joined this damn organization, he has made sure that I'm as safe as possible. When I got hurt in the ring, he helped me get better. When that ambush plan went wrong and Austin literally threw me in the line of fire, he saved me. I didn't see _you_ coming to my aid when Austin forced me to become his so-called 'bodyguard'."

Test kept silent, which was wise as an incensed Carmen was determined to drive her point home. She leaned forwards, whispering conspiratorially. "And you know the best part? Van Dam trusts me. I know," she grinned snidely, taking in his wide-eyed expression. "Who'd a thunk it, huh? I guess I _am_ doing something right. And while we're on the issue of trust-" She pointed towards ringside, "-I heard your friends Booker T and Rhyno talking about your push, and none of them sounded thrilled for you. Great friends, huh?"

She pushed herself off the chair. "I told you I would handle Van Dam, and I am. I don't need you questioning my actions, and I sure as hell don't appreciate you looking at me like I'm some kind of slut!"

She shot him one last angry glance before skipping over his legs and trudging off down the stairs. As she increased the distance between them a heavy sigh escaped her lips. That definitely did not go well. The last thing she needed was to be squabbling with her only true ally in the Alliance. But she had to put her foot down with this rumor and stamp it out before anyone else could get to hear. Subconsciously, her eyes fell upon Ivory, who was sitting with the Hurricane, listening to whatever the hell that freak was saying, and she sneered. Where better to start than the source itself?

"Ivory!" she called, deftly cutting into their conversation. "I need to talk to you. Now!"

Ivory eyed the seething blonde woman for a moment before excusing herself. "What's the matter?" she asked.

Carmen rounded on her before she could finish. "Why did you tell Test I was sleeping with RVD?" she whispered fiercely.

The initial confusion in the raven-haired Diva's dark eyes soon gave way to realization. "Carmen-"

"Uh uh. Answer my question," she interrupted as Ivory's mouth was about to open to spit out an obvious lie. When the older woman shut up and shifted her eyes downward, Carmen threw her hands in the air. "What the fuck, Ivory! You can't just run around saying things like that! Did I ever tell you I was sleeping with Van Dam? No! So why the hell did you?"

"Look, I'm sorry," Ivory finally conceded, rushing her words. "Both of you act so strange around each other. One minute you're using all the strength you can gather to ignore each other and the next, both of you look like you're about to jump each other. I only put two and two together-"

"And last time I checked, it ain't five!" Carmen interjected, rolling her eyes. Ivory put her hands up in surrender. "Okay, okay. I made a mistake. I shouldn't have jumped to conclusions. I'm sorry."

At the apologetic expression on her mentor's face, Carmen felt her anger dissipate a bit, and she turned away, crossing her arms.

"But shit, you two have been together all this while and no nookie?" The raven-haired woman blurted out unexpectedly, giggling. "Damn! No wonder he's become cranky."

The blonde Diva turned, an irritated expression on her face. Ivory shook her head, putting a placating hand on her shoulder. "Look, sweetie. I've known Rob for some time now. He's been a ladies' man of some sort for a long time, but not anymore. Stacy's been on his ass all year and he's not even looked in her direction once since you showed up. He's too busy looking at you. Hell, even Stephanie's been having a hard time getting his attention. He's changed, Carmen. That means he must really like you. And from how you've been acting around him I'm guessing the feeling's mutual."

Carmen stared at her mentor, and then sighed, turning away. What was the point in lying anymore? Ivory had read her dilemma down to the tee. "What does it matter?" she said quietly. "Stephanie will have my ass, anyway if I tried anything. You said so yourself."

Ivory shrugged. "Maybe some things are just meant to be. Besides," she added, "since when did you give a damn about what Stephanie thinks?"

With that she patted her arm and returned to the Hurricane, leaving Carmen to ponder about what she said. At the same time, not for the first time, Carmen had to wonder just how much of a mistake had she made in agreeing to align herself with Ivory. If she had become so quick, so precise in detecting something Carmen had worked so hard to conceal, how much longer would it take for her to find out her true reason for joining the Alliance?


	32. Chapter 32

_**A/N: Muchas gracias to everyone reading this story. Please review as well! Thanks!**_

_**Chapter 32**_

Luckily for Carmen, she was not scheduled for a match tonight. All she had to do was accompany Rob to the ring for his non-title match against Hardcore Holly, dis a few of the fans at ringside, applaud Rob when he got the pin, and head back.

The rest of the night, however, dragged on. Shane and Stephanie called some pointless meeting she didn't bother listening to. Austin leered at her all through the meeting, as did Christian. Test was ignoring her. But worst of all, she had nearly run into Jeff again. But this time before a word could even be uttered between them Rob whisked her away, both men glaring poison-tipped daggers at each other. Now she was stuck alone with Mr. Monday Night in his locker room. Again. Was it her or was she just _begging_ for another round of trouble?

"Here." Without warning, Rob tossed a magazine at her. She picked it up and straightened it out. Her breath caught when she saw the cover.

Her face, along with those of Matt, Jeff and Lita, stared back at her. She recognized the cover as Team Xtreme's very first photo shoot as a quartet. She flipped through the old magazine and the events of that shoot replayed fondly in her head like a favorite video; how she and Lita kept fawning over the outfits; Matt and Jeff's crazy pranks and antics; it had been a good day. All the photos were great, but there was one picture in there with her and Jeff that she acknowledged as the most badass image she'd ever seen of herself. It had the younger Hardy sitting in a relaxed position on a steel chair, bare-chested, legs splayed apart and fingers formed into a gun. She, with long flowing blonde hair and wearing a pink-colored, long-sleeved, off-the-shoulder fishnet mini dress, stood between his legs and sent the camera a sexy, smoldering stare over her shoulder.

"Why are you showing this to me?" she asked Rob, looking at him strangely as he sat beside her.

He shrugged, smiling softly as he gazed at the open page. "You got some beautiful photos in there."

She ducked her head, a blush creeping up her cheeks. "Thanks."

Not taking his eyes off the page, Rob chuckled, but the sound was not pleasant. "_He_ doesn't know when to quit, does he?"

"Who?"

He nodded towards the magazine. "Your friend, Hardy. If I didn't know any better I'd say he wanted his old flame back."

"What?" Carmen laughed nervously, understanding where he was going with this. "No, no, no, you got it all wrong. He's not my boyfriend if that's what you're hinting at."

"He definitely likes you," said Rob.

"Jeff? No." She paused. "Not that way. Not anymore, anyway."

"Care to elaborate?"

Irritation and apprehension crossed her pretty features. "What's with the intrusion into my private life?"

"I'm just curious," he replied, his expression passive. She sighed. "Well if you must know, we did date. Briefly."

"So what happened?"

Carmen shrugged nonchalantly. "It didn't work out. We realized that we were better as friends."

"At least you got to think it over together and make that decision _together_," Rob said casually. "It shouldn't be different with me."

"Rob…" She lowered her head for a moment before forcing her eyes to meet his. "Rob, you don't want to be with me, trust me," she insisted.

"Isn't that up to me to decide? Fine then, so who should I be with?" He rolled his eyes. "And do _not _tell me a WWF girl."

A dull pain stabbed her heart at his words. _If you only knew_…

She gasped softly when he took her hand in both of his. "Rob, please-"

"Have dinner with me, Carmen."

"What?"

"I want to get to know you," said Rob, "the _real_ you. We've been so damn preoccupied with fighting this war against the WWF that we haven't had time to really hang out. Let's change that tomorrow night."

She bit down on her lip as the guilt poked harder at her. _He can't know me_, she thought miserably. _He can't ever know the real me, because if he does, I'll be screwed._

_We'll _both_ be screwed_.

"It's just one date," Rob said, mistaking the frown on her face for something else. "We go out, eat some food; just hang out. What do you say?"

He let out an exaggerated groan as he watched her head sway with indecision. "Come on," he cajoled her, "no funny business. I promise."

"Fine," she finally said, trying to sound as disinterested as possible. She was really starting to dislike Rob for making her such a damn pushover.

"Oh excellent! I'll pick you up at seven. That okay?"

"Whatever you say." She rolled her eyes, heading for the door. Once she left the room, she did a little jig of joy, right there in the open hallway. But she didn't care who saw her. She had a date with Rob Van Dam and they _didn't_!

She practically floated into the catering room and making her way to a table, she took some fruit. She started opening the refrigerator but a large hand beat her to it, startling her. When she turned and saw Edge standing behind her, she let out a huge sigh. "You need to quit doing that!" she whispered urgently, her eyes darting around. "What is it? People might see us."

"Sorry," he whispered back, picking out a bottle of water. "I'll make it quick. Change of plans," he informed her, though there was a pained expression in his eyes. "You're staying with the Alliance for a while longer."

"What? No!" she groaned.

"Vince had no choice," explained Edge. "After what happened with Stone Cold at the last show, he doesn't want you to return just yet."

Carmen lifted her head upwards with a sigh. She was yet to disclose her backstage "chat" with Stone Cold to anyone, and after staring into the cold, calculating, ruthless blue eyes of the Rattlesnake, Carmen knew she had to be very, very careful around him, and it made her realize that she now needed Rob more than ever. "Fine, tell them I agree." she said.

"That's about it. Anything from your side?"

"Heyman wants to make RVD the number-one contender for the WWF title."

"Can't say I'm surprised," said Edge.

"It makes sense," Carmen agreed, pausing as out of the corner of her eye she spied sudden movement under the catering table. She cringed, sidling away from the table. Gosh, she hated rats! "He's popular with the fans and the guys in the locker room. It's only natural that he gets a shot. Heyman hasn't made it official yet so just keep it on the low. Oh, and Test is getting pushed for your IC title, but I guess he's already told you."

Edge looked at her. "Nope."

"He hasn't?" When Edge shook his head, Carmen shrugged. "Well, he's been in a pissy mood today so I guess he couldn't be bothered."

Edge nodded, and then a look of hesitation crossed his features. "Carmen," he started. "Are you okay? I know I'm not supposed to worry," he added, rushing his words, "but I do. This is such a dangerous environment you've been thrown in, and the last thing I want to see is you getting hurt." Ever since getting drafted by Taker and co. to keep an eye on Carmen, Edge not only learned to appreciate her work ethic and her somewhat misguided dedication to fighting the cause, he had grown quite fond of her. This was something he would never have dreamed of happening just six months ago, especially when the rivalry between Edge and Christian and Team Xtreme was at its bitter height.

A small smile tugged at her lips, once again touched by his continuous show of concern for her. "I'm okay, Edge. As long as I have you on the other side, I know I'll be fine. You've been great. I'll let you know when I need you to get me out of here."

Edge continued to stare at her with that intense, smoldering gaze he always seemed to use with her. "You do that. But in the meantime, please be careful."

With that, he left the catering room. Carmen watched him exit, and remained standing there for several seconds, but her concentration was broken when the table moved again behind her. She turned, and stopped dead in her tracks with a loud gasp, her heart sinking all the way to her wrestling boots.

A grinning Christian had emerged from under the catering table, looking like the cat that got the canary. Carmen's eyes widened. Shit, it _wasn't_ a rat. But judging from the figure that sauntered towards her, it might as well have been.

"Well, well," he sang, "look who I caught sharing secrets with the enemy. And with _Edge_, no less."

Her eyes narrowed dangerously. "You followed me?"

"Oh no. It was totally accidental." He held up the apple in his hand. "I drop my apple. I bend down and go under the table to retrieve it. Before I know it I'm hearing your voice and my brother's and my, my, what juicy details I've discovered." He crossed his arms. "So I was right after all. You _are_ a mole. Isn't this great? Me beating Bradshaw for the European Championship tonight; now catching you red-handed?" He laughed, very pleased with himself.

Carmen smiled humorlessly. She didn't try to defend herself. There was no point. She was caught and they both knew it. "So what are you gonna do? Tell on me?" she asked boldly.

Christian smiled wider. "No."

She blinked. "_No_?"

"Not gonna say a word," he confirmed, leaning against the table. "I'd rather sit back and watch how your little scheme plays out. I always knew what you were. I just wanted to catch you in the act. Now I got a little ammo to use against you. Cool, huh?"

"You can't prove anything!" she challenged.

The amusement that was dancing on his features suddenly mutated into a vicious sneer. "Wanna bet?" he shot back.

"Carmen! I thought I heard you," Ivory entered the catering room, pausing as she caught the two frowning faces. "Everything okay?"

Carmen hadn't taken her eyes off the Con-chair-to specialist, whose smug smirk silently urged her to answer the question. "Just peachy," she answered with a forced smile.

Ivory took the water from Carmen and opened it. "Well hurry with the chit-chat. We're leaving in another five minutes."

"So, Ivory's clueless, huh?" the blond man asked once the raven-haired woman was gone. "And I bet Lover Boy RVD has no idea either. I wonder how he'll feel when he finds out his girlfriend is plotting to screw him over-"

"I'm _not_ his girlfriend," she said fiercely. Christian rolled his eyes. "Whatever you say. Let's see just how many people you'll have to answer to when the shit hits the fan: Shane, Steph, Heyman, Ivory, RVD, Austin, pretty much the entire Alliance." He laughed heartily, as if it was the funniest joke he'd ever heard. "Wow. I can't wait to see this. Good luck, Champ. You're gonna need it." He walked off, a slight spring in his step, leaving her to wonder just how her night had just gone from good to terrible in a space of thirty minutes. She wanted to run up behind him and smash a steel chair onto his head, knock him out cold for the rest of his life. Anything to keep his mouth shut for good. But she couldn't.

"Fuck!" she cursed loudly and raked her fingers through her hair.

It was official. Carmen was in big, big trouble.

_**A/N: OH SNAP! Caught! What's going to happen to Carmen and her Women's title? Will Taker get word of this? Is Rob going to find out? Or worse, Austin? Only way to find out is to keep reading and reviewing! Thanks! **_


	33. Chapter 33

_**A/N: Sorry for the long delay! I was stumped with this chapter for quite a while. A mighty big thanks to i luv hardy, NellyLove, xPricelessPeep, Ashurii-sama and xXxArwenxXx for the reviews. Thank you thank you thank you! Now, on to the next chapter. I haven't forgotten the people on the other side that are worried about Carmen, and there's quite a few of them…**_

_**Chapter 33**_

A lot of speculation swarmed round as to who had attacked Billy Gunn and X-Pac the night of that backstage melee. The WWF swiftly pointed fingers at the dastardly Alliance. The Alliance was confident that it was all the undoing of their rivals. After all, they had been the ones to instigate the mass brawl. They were confident in their theory that someone within the WWF ranks was sending out signs of an imminent defection, something the WWF was aware of, and which did nothing to quell their worries.

Only Trish Stratus knew the truth, and carrying two explosive secrets around was starting to tire her. She was deathly afraid – that she might be found out, that she'd gotten a bit too involved in this shit with Carmen, which she was certain was going to end badly; she could feel it within her bones. She spent every waking second wishing she never got caught up in it. She wished she could take back the day she stormed into Taker's locker room demanding answers. Then it would have been so much easier to believe that her conversation with Carmen was a figment of her imagination; that the current Women's Champion had indeed sold out to the Alliance. But it wasn't true, and Trish was almost certain that there were people in the Alliance who now knew that.

Someone was knocking on the door. Trish figured that Lita was back from her pow-wow with the Hardys. So imagine her surprise when she saw it was the Undertaker's wife Sara, and not the redhead at the other side of the door. "Oh good," the Dead Man's wife exclaimed with relief, glad she ran into the right person. "I wanted to talk to you. Can I come in?"

"Sure. Lita's not in, so…" she stepped back, allowing the older woman to step into the room. Sara sat on Trish's bed, and Trish went over to Lita's bed. "So, when's that finally coming off?" Sara asked with forced casualness, pointing at Trish's cast.

"The week before Unforgiven," she replied, attempting to flex the thick stiff Plaster of Paris. Sara watched her, saying nothing. When the silence began to clog the room, Trish left the bed and went to her wardrobe, taking out her wrestling boots. "So, Taker sent you to make sure I'm still keeping my mouth shut?" Sarcasm laced her soft voice.

"Well, yeah," Sara admitted, "But I was also wondering how you managed to use that steel chair on Billy Gunn and X-Pac with the cast on."

Trish froze, feeling her stomach drop. She turned to Sara, filled with dread. No way! She couldn't know. She couldn't possibly know. Who else-

"Don't worry, it's just me," Sara cut into her racing thoughts, as if reading her mind. "I saw you carrying the chair, sneaking around the place like you were 007 or something. I didn't think anything of it until I heard those two got laid out." She smiled at the stunned look on Trish's face. "You got balls, girl. I know you're eager for action but I didn't think you were _that_ eager." The amusement dissolved into one of mild concern. "I just hope no one else saw you."

"If they did, no one's come to me yet," Trish said with a sigh of resignation. "Carmen told me to look out for her, you know?" she continued with a hint of discomfort in her voice. "I overheard those two planning to take her out and I just…" she trailed off, shrugging helplessly. "I just did it. I had to do something, you know? And now I feel like I'm fully involved in this. I don't want to be, Sara."

"You _have_ been doing a good job of keeping this to yourself," Sara reminded her.

The little blonde burst into cynical laughter. Traces of the mirthless chuckle still lingering, she replied, "Do you have any idea how hard it's been? Having to act clueless in front of Jeff and Matt, listening to all the people badmouthing Carmen, Lita looking up to me like I'm her only friend left in the entire world when all I'm actually doing is keeping Carmen's spot warm while she's embarking on her suicide mission? It fucking sucks, okay?"

Suddenly, the sadistic glint in the eyes of the Bionic Redneck as he stared down Carmen in that hallway, the image of her barely avoiding that stinging red mist from Tajiri, the ladder about to fall on her and crush her to bits, swept through Trish's head, and she shuddered. "We can't leave her there any longer, Sara," she pleaded. "There's way too much attention on her. I don't know why, but it's not right. I see Carmen getting seriously hurt."

"She's gonna be fine," Sara started, though she sounded unconvinced.

"Are you blind?" Trish screeched, startling the other woman. "Fuck what your husband thinks! Austin is obsessed with her! Everyone else wants a piece of her! You think because she's Champion they're going to lay off? What do you guys want to do, wait and test out that theory?"

Trish grabbed Sara's hand, a move which shocked them both. It was too late for Trish to regret, but it was not too late to take a stand. "Bring her back, Sara! I don't know what you have to tell Taker or Vince, but do it. Get her out of there before we _all_ regret it!"

For their latest "bonding" session, the Alliance decided to take over the sole restaurant inside their latest hotel. With thirty-odd behemoths running around the place, it was a danger zone. The place was rowdy. The patrons and staff could do little to nothing about it. Who wanted to get lynched by a mob of 300-pound ogres?

Ivory had managed to bully two customers off one of the bigger tables, and she, Carmen and Lance Storm and Booker T took their places. Now the two women were admiring a piece of Carmen's new ring attire, a cropped black leather jacket with her now-signature pattern of a rose at the back. Smiling at what Ivory was saying, she looked up, and the first person her eyes happened to find was Christian's. The bastard hadn't stopped smiling since he found her out. He had begun to toy with her, trying to mess with her mind because he held this secret over her head. But that wasn't going to happen. Carmen was determined to see this out until she could arrange her escape back to the WWF. She was Women's Champion. Why exactly was she still hanging around?

Unconsciously, her eyes fell upon Rob Van Dam, who was a few feet away talking to Booker T. Her heart skipped a beat, as it always did every time she looked at him. Whatever her heart wanted to do was fine, she'd promised herself, as long as her body never acted upon it. She would put that vow to the test tonight at her date with the Hardcore Champion.

Oh boy.

"Hey Carmen."

She looked in the direction of the voice, which belonged to Chavo Guerrero. "I need to ask you something."

"Uh, sure." She smiled at him. Chavo was always nice to her whenever they came in contact with each other, and she didn't mind talking to him.

He grabbed a chair and turning it backwards, sat on it. "I got a triple threat match this Thursday on Smackdown," he said, "against your old friend Matt Hardy to become the number one contender for the European championship. Since you knew him and everything," he paused, leaning forward and reducing his voice to a whisper, "can you give me, you know, tips on how I can beat him?"

For a second she was not sure how to respond to that. Evidently the hesitation must have been prevalent on her face, because Chavo added, "Come on. You helped RVD out with Jeff Hardy, right? And after what Matt did to you, you deserve a bit of revenge. I could help you out with that, if you tell me what to do."

These damn rumors. She _never_ helped RVD with Jeff. He'd mentioned time and again that he could handle that 'pussy' on his own, which was fine with her. The last thing she ever wanted to do was sell her friend out, but she supposed it was a plausible assumption since she and Rob were practically partners. She could never do anything to hurt Jeff if she tried, but Matt was a different case entirely. She had not forgotten the beating the older Hardy had handed her the week she 'defected'. Bashing the steel cage on his head was not really enough for her. Chavo was right. She was owed a proper shot at revenge. Though she knew the Guerrero descendant did not stand a chance in hell against the volatile Team Xtremer, she figured it was worth a try.

"Sure," she said sweetly to him. "I _can_ help. See, the first you got to do obviously, is ground him. He's got jimmy legs, you know what I mean? His knees keep going this way…" She bent her legs so that her knees pointed sideways. Chavo nodded reverently, hanging on to her every word. "Yeah, he's real sensitive about them, you know?" she continued. "Try acting like you wanna straighten them out. Oh, he won't like that _at all_. But you'll get into his head, no doubt. Then you hit the killer blow with your, um…" she paused, unsure of what exactly his finishing move was. "Whatever it is you do," she finished with an encouraging smile.

Her phone vibrated in her pocket and she pulled it out to look at it. It was a text from Edge.

_Meet you at the restaurant downstairs in 5 mins._

Her jaw dropped as she flipped the phone shut with force, instinctively looking towards the entrance. Shit! She forgot that she'd texted him earlier in the morning. He couldn't come here! Not when this place was crawling with Alliance members!

"That bitch Lita's been asking for it, Lance," Ivory was telling Lance Storm, oblivious to her mentee's plight. "Next week, I'm gonna challenge her to a one-on-one match. What do you think, Carmen?"

She wasn't listening. Her leg bobbing rapidly up and down, Carmen stared hard at her phone, as if it was going to magically hand her the answer to her problem. She had to think up of something fast to get Edge away from here.

The sudden change in the mood, along with the belligerent expressions that appeared on the faces of everyone in the room told her that she was too late. Her throat dried up as she saw Edge standing at the entrance of the restaurant. His eyes widened with surprise at first, but like the typical pea-brained male specie, the testosterone must have kicked in, because for a moment the Canadian looked like he was contemplating taking on them all.

The Alliance noticed, too, and Booker audibly growled. Most of them looked like they wanted to stand up and whip his ass. Carmen held her breath, feeling the tension deep in the confines of her gut. She was dreading, but still wondering what was going to happen next.

Wisely, thankfully, Edge stepped out and went back the way he came. Only then did Carmen breathe again. Once again she turned to Christian, and what she saw shocked her. His features had softened dramatically, eyes still fixed on the spot where his brother had stood. He looked conflicted, a mixture of anxiety and longing in his eyes. Then suddenly the light bulb in Carmen's head went off. Of course!

Christian missed his brother.

Then suddenly, as though he realized she had been reading his mind, Christian turned his head. The concerned look on his face had vanished, replaced by the cold, empty glare that he had grown so accustomed to wearing. He knew Edge was here for her, and his foreboding expression told her that they were going to discuss what they had just seen. But the European Champion could not fool Carmen anymore. She had found a chink in his armor, and she planned to exploit it for all it was worth.

But she would do that later. Right now she had a date to worry about.


	34. Chapter 34

_**A/N: Thanks for the reviews for the last chapter! I'm on a roll! In this chapter, I finally reveal a bit of Carmen's background, something I probably should have done right from the beginning. Sorry about that. But enjoy nonetheless!**_

_**Chapter 34**_

"Oh my God, baby!" Ivory gushed, her eyes sweeping over the finished product of her work. "Rob won't know what hit him!"

Carmen tilted her head to the side, looking at herself in the mirror. She wore a simple shell-pink strapless dress that hugged her figure all the way to her knees, and black platform heels. She had washed out the streaks in her hair, and had it pinned in a sophisticated up-do. Her make-up, done by Ivory, was tasteful and flawless.

God, she was nervous.

Ivory had moved away to answer the door. Carmen heard a familiar deep voice, and then a surprised "_Carmen?_"

She turned around. "Test."

"You goin' somewhere?" he asked, trying not to sound too inquisitive. Carmen jerked her shoulders casually. "Yeah. I got a date with Rob Van Dam." Both of them were still not speaking as freely as they used to. She glanced at him as if challenging him to start an argument in front of Ivory.

"Oh." It was obvious that he wanted to pass further comment. "Have fun," was all he ended up saying.

"Thanks." She went up to him and hugged him. She could feel his surprise, but grinned when he hugged her back.

"Er, Carmen," he whispered, stumbling over his words. "Look, I, uh, I'm…"

She giggled. He was so cute. "I know, baby. I'm sorry, too."

A knock interrupted them, and Carmen pulled away. "I'll see you guys later."

Ivory waved. "Have fun, Carmen. Don't do what I wouldn't do!"

Carmen flipped her off before opening the door. "Hey," she greeted with a charming smile.

"Wow…" Rob was finding it hard to speak as he scanned the gorgeous woman in front of him. Watching him ogle her speechlessly like a shy teenage boy made her blush. She giggled as she kissed his cheek. "I'll take that as a compliment. _You_ look good." He did, surprisingly smart-casual in a navy blue silk shirt and slacks. It was totally un-RVD-like, whose preferred a rather grunge look in cut-off jeans and a tee shirt. When they were through drooling over each other, she grabbed her jacket and linked her arms with his, making their way towards the elevator.

They didn't notice the pair of blue eyes glaring at them from the shadows of the hallway, all dressed up and ready to follow them.

----------

"So where are we going?" Carmen asked Rob, her blue eyes alight with curiosity. "A nice Thai restaurant not far from here," he replied. "That okay?"

She smiled. "Sure. Thai's good."

The drive there was pleasant, Janet Jackson's sultry voice crooning softly from the radio. On arrival he parked and went over to Carmen's side to open the door for her. She smiled brightly, letting him take her hand and lead her into the establishment.

The maitre d' led Rob and Carmen to their reserved table. She sat down and looked around. "Not bad," she said to Rob. "You didn't have to go through all this trouble for me, you know."

He did that notorious nonchalant shrug of his. "You're worth the effort," he said, the simple sentence causing her stomach to flutter and her perfectly made-up face to redden again.

…_And I bet Lover Boy RVD has no idea either. I wonder how he'll feel when he finds out his girlfriend is plotting to screw him over…_

She shook her head. Damn Christian!

When the waiter was gone with their orders, Rob leaned forwards. "So, first question," he started. Carmen raised her eyebrow. "Ooh, twenty questions begin already." She rubbed her palms together. "Okay then, bring it on."

"Since joining the Alliance, your new ring attire always has a flower on it," he said. "Why is that?"

She smiled. "Easy. My middle name's Rose," she explained. "I've always liked roses, so I wanted them on my stuff. My pants, shirts, vests, everything."

He nodded, satisfied with her answer. "Favorite place you've ever visited."

"It's gotta be Perth, Australia," she replied. "Great weather, great beaches, great waves." It was also the place where she and Jeff first kissed, at the beach on the final night of the WWF's tour Down Under just a year ago…

The waiter returned with their food. "Next question," said Rob. "Who's your wrestling idol?"

"Bret," she answered without hesitation, adding with a slight blush, "I still have a crush on him to this day. Rounding off the top three are Ricky Steamboat and of course, Chyna."

"Great selection," Rob remarked, nodding his approval. "What was your childhood like?"

"It was good, actually," she answered. "I was born and bred in ATL, Georgia. I was an only child. My parents spoiled me. My dad died when I was twelve. My mom had me at the age of forty and died of cancer four years ago."

"I'm sorry."

Carmen smiled, waving the apology away. "Nah, I'm good. I enjoyed every moment I spent with my folks. I left home when I was about seventeen to start my wrestling career, so I didn't really get to see my mother too much. But my parents left the family home in my name, which luckily is freehold. There's like twenty rooms in it, so you're free to hang out anytime you want."

Rob eyed her. "Is that an invitation?" he asked, his voice seductive.

Carmen bit her lip coyly. "Maybe."

So much for non-platonic. "My turn," she announced, clearing her throat. "What's with the whole RVD 'pointing at myself' thingy?"

"Simple," he grinned. "I'm just awesome."

Carmen rolled her eyes. "Of course. Do you have any shocking secrets that I should know about?"

His eyes shifted to the corner, as if thinking it through. "Well, except for a psychotic ex-wife, nothing really."

"Oh. You were married." She wasn't entirely sure why that surprised her.

"Yeah, but it didn't last too long. All the traveling I had to do got in the way. She got angry that I wasn't around a lot of the time and walked away."

She sent him an apologetic glance. "I'm sorry to hear that."

He snorted, sipping his wine. "I'm not. I'm glad it's over. It was a sham. I mean, it wasn't like I could compete with three other guys."

Wow! His wife cheated with three men? Carmen suddenly felt bad for him. Maybe it explained why earlier on in his career he always had this "no-one-but-me" attitude. "Well if it makes you feel better, your ex is a douche," she said. "She had a good man as a husband and she blew it."

Their eyes met yet again. She couldn't look away if she tried.

"You look amazing tonight," said Rob, the look of longing in his eyes causing her to blush yet again. She started to respond when someone coming into the restaurant caught her eye. Her fork slipped from her fingers.

Stone Cold Steve Austin was here. With Debra. Shock, dread and apprehension simultaneously filled Carmen's stomach, and for a split second she could not breathe. Then suddenly, as if her gaze had compelled him, he turned his head and they locked eyes. She gasped, terrified that she'd been caught staring, and quickly returned her gaze to Rob. She tried to listen to what he was saying, but her mind was stuck on the Texas Rattlesnake. She could feel his beady blue eyes staring a hole in the back of her head.

Suddenly she stood up, nearly knocking the chair behind her over. Rob looked up at her. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I…have to go to the bathroom." Without waiting for a response she went, carrying her purse with her. She entered the bathroom and walked towards the mirror with shaky legs. She gripped the sink to support herself. She wasn't stupid. It was not a coincidence that Austin was here. He was following her again. What did she have to do to shake him off? She had to keep calm, stay cool, see through this dinner and get out. Yes. She would do just that.

Looking in the mirror, she touched up her makeup before coming out. She turned the corner, but slowed down when she saw someone in the way. She looked up and gasped.

There was Austin, wearing a white shirt and slacks with chunky army boots, his face like thunder. "So you can go out with Van Dam and not me, huh?" he sneered, towering menacingly over Carmen. "You fucked him yet?"

She smirked, hiding the fear that zapped through her body like an electric current. "Wouldn't you like to know, pervert. How bout you focus on your wife? You know, the woman you _married_?" She moved past him but he yanked her back so quickly she nearly tripped on her heels.

"Don't walk away from me!" he snarled.

"What the-" She pushed his forearm, but he did not budge. "Let go of me! I said-"

Her words faded from her lips, staring with wide, fearful eyes at the evil in his eyes, the savagery and rage he was barely suppressing. Austin bent down so his face was almost touching hers. "I was WWF champion!" he growled. "Still am! I coulda had any woman on the fuckin' planet and I wanted you, yet there you were pushin' out your skinny little hip at me and tellin' me '_hell no_'!" He put on a whiny girly voice at the last word.

"Is that why you came after me like that all those months ago?" Carmen spat. "Tried to destroy me and my friends? Is that why you _stalked_ me? To soothe your bruised ego?" Her lip curled up in a cruel sneer. "Ha! You're more pathetic than I give you credit for. At least DDP admits he's a psycho. You better man up and face reality too."

"Just who the hell do you think you are?" he hissed, very similarly to the reptile he was named after. "_Nobody_ turns down Stone Cold Steve Austin!" he snarled.

"Like I would ever be with a man like you!" she countered hotly. "Debra looks so pissed every time I see her. Rumor has it that you're no longer cutting it in bed."

Austin looked manic now, and Carmen was certain he was going to Stun her right there in the middle of the restaurant. "You bitch!" He grabbed her again, gripping her slender arm so hard, she gasped with pain.

"Get your hands off her!" Both turned to face Rob, who looked livid and ready to fight. Austin pushed Carmen towards the Hardcore Champion. "You can have her," the bald man said. "Take my advice, son. Don't be fooled if she ain't openin' her legs for you. She's a whore, always has been."

He stopped speaking right as Carmen's hand connected with his face. "How dare you!" she spat. "How fucking _dare_ you!" She slapped him again, this time with brute force. "I'll show you whore!" she yelled, slapping him a third time. "Who the _fuck _do you think you are? Because I said no to you, you think you can just ruin my life, you motherfucking _asshole_!"

By now the maître d' was heading their way, about to throw them out of the restaurant. Debra rushed up to them, her face full of shock having seen Carmen assault her husband. "What the hell are you doing?" she screeched, turning to her husband. "Steve! What the hell is goin' on?"

"Go sit down, Debra," he barked, pushing her away without even looking at her. "I said go!"

Astonished by her attack, Rob pulled Carmen away, just as her hand swung out again. "Whoa, whoa, whoa! Carmen, calm down!" he pleaded, wrapping an arm around her middle. "Calm down!"

Her struggling reduced, and for a second she seemed placated by Rob's soothing words, but she tore away from him, turning and bolting right out of the restaurant. Rob knew he had to follow her, but he instead got right in Austin's face.

"You prick," he hissed. "You talk to her like that again and I'm gonna forget we're on the same team!"

Austin chuckled. "I was wrong," His eyes narrowed dangerously, his voice reduced to a cold whisper. "Carmen may not be a whore, but _you_ are."

The shorter man blinked, looking like he was the one who had been slapped. Austin smiled. "Yeah, I know what you're up to. And soon enough, she's gonna find out."

Rob stared at him, stunned, but he said nothing. He managed to recover in time to give Austin a glare before following Carmen out of the restaurant, painfully aware of the malicious grin his leader sent him.


	35. Chapter 35

_**A/N: At last! The magic is about to happen! This chapter contains sexual content. Have fun!**_

* * *

_**Chapter 35**_

Carmen stumbled into the hotel elevator. She jammed the button repeatedly until it closed and she leaned against the wall, covering her face with her hands. Jesus, she hit Austin! She hit that psychopath! What the fuck had she been thinking? She was going to be in so much trouble. She had to get out of here, and fast. Oh shit. She was so dead.

"Carmen, you're shaking."

She jumped, looking up. She had totally forgotten about Rob. He hadn't said a word on the drive back to the hotel and she had been too occupied with her thoughts. "Are you okay?" he asked. Carmen shook her head, refusing to meet his eyes. She only kept her arms folded across her chest and her eyes on the floor. How could she be, when that piece of shit Steve Austin ruined her appetite?

She felt Rob's fingers encircle her chin and tilt it. Her eyes met his. "Talk to me, beautiful," he said softly. "Something's going on with you and Austin. He's been picking on you lately."

"You want to know?" she snapped, jerking her head away from his grasp. "Fine, I'll tell you. Your beloved leader doesn't know how to handle rejection, that's the problem! A few months ago, when he was still hanging out with Triple H and Vince, Austin asked me out. Scratch that, more like 'ordered' me. He corners me one night after a house show and says I should become his girlfriend. Who does that?"

Rob stayed silent as he took in this information. "And what did you say?" he asked slowly.

"I told him to go fuck himself!" she said in a "duh" tone. "But he didn't take it too well because after that he started stalking me!"

"Stalking you?" His eyes were wide with surprise. She looked down, unable to look him in the eye. Never had she spoken about it. Not Matt, not Lita, not even Jeff, so was yet to fully understand how come she felt so comfortable telling it to Rob. "Yeah," she confessed. "He would call me and text me and leave me all kinds of threats! I was so embarrassed and scared, I couldn't tell anyone. I just kept deleting and ignoring everything hoping he would stop. But it got worse, and he turned on the Hardys and Lita. It only stopped when you Alliance guys showed up, and then he just disappeared. I just want him to stay away from me, damn it!" She growled angrily, clenching her hands into tight fists.

"Hey, hey," he cooed, placing his hands on her shoulders. "Relax. Take a deep breath." He bent closer, whispering, "Forget him. He ain't worth it."

His fingers began to move, massaging her shoulders. Carmen, too tired to protest, leaned back against him. His calloused but skilful fingers slowly eased the knots from her muscles. She moaned softly as one hand moved from her shoulders to her neck. This was so soothing. Her mind wasn't even screaming in objection this time. Maybe it was the alcohol floating in her system. Either way, she didn't want him to stop.

The second he felt her let her guard down Rob's touch grew less persistent, the pressure easing as his fingertips smoothed over the top of her bare shoulders. He pulled her even closer against him, and she was vaguely aware of him inhaling the scent of her hair. "What are you doing?" she drawled lazily.

"Something wrong, beautiful?" he asked. He placed a soft kiss upon her neck, and her breath caught. "N-no," she lied, unable to articulate just how less-than-platonic this massage was suddenly feeling. Visions of that day in the gym, the day this tension first started building, sparked in her mind, hazy from the kisses Rob was now trailing up her neck. His fingers crawled down her arms to her hips before sliding back up her sides, brushing the sides of her breasts.

"Okay!" Carmen exclaimed, trying to break away, but Rob's arm was fastened around her midriff, holding her prisoner. "What's the matter?" he asked distractedly, lightly tugging at her earlobe with his teeth, and Carmen forgot how to breathe. She could feel his hardness pressing against her leg. "We said…_ohhh_…"

She gasped softly when his hand began to crawl along her inner thigh at a painstakingly slow pace, dragging up the hem of her dress. When the hell did his hand get there? All coherent thought deserted her when Rob dipped his fingers into her underwear, stroking the most intimate part of her. She moaned as his fingers probed deep, her spine tingling as the pleasure washed over her. Her head fell back against his shoulder, and she put her hand against the wall to support her weakening legs. "Rob…stop…we can't…"

"Can't what?" Rob mumbled against her jaw, his voice thick with need. He tilted her face towards his and kissed her deeply. All of a sudden, her eyes flew open, and she tore out of his grasp.

"I told you not to touch me!" she said hotly, dizzy from the myriad of arousal and revulsion swarming through her. She was sick of this; sick of living this lie, sick of putting her heart through this trauma. She had to get out of here before things got worse.

Before she broke _both_ their hearts.

An audible snarl of frustration tore through Rob's lips. "Damn it, Carmen, why are you running from me? From us?"

"There is no _us_!" she yelled, straightening her dress. "Okay? There can't be an 'us'! So stop making this hard for me! Stop torturing me with your touch, and your kiss! For fuck's sake, just listen to me for once and stop! Please!" she begged him, her eyes filling with tears. He saw them too, because he looked shocked. He had never seen her cry before…

"Carmen, I…"

"Just leave me alone!"

The elevator couldn't open fast enough for her. Covering her face with trembling hands, she dashed out. Rob's paralysis finally snapped and he followed her, but only came out in time to see her throw herself into her hotel room. With a tired, defeated sigh, he went into his own room.

This hot-and-cold act with Carmen was ridiculous. One minute she wanted him, the next she was running off. What was she running from? Was there someone else? He didn't want to think about that, because he was certain he would kill the bastard with his bare hands. But this was only proving one thing – that she was stronger than he thought. Time and time again she would muster the strength to walk away while he lost all self-control whenever he was around her. It was frustrating and he didn't know what to do anymore.

Oh great! Now some idiot was knocking on his door. He didn't want to be at any bullshit meeting! He stormed towards the door and threw it open, the first words of a tirade about to leave his mouth. But they died away when he saw Carmen standing there, wearing nothing but a silk white robe. Rob didn't need X-ray vision to see that she was stark naked underneath the glossy garment. "What the…"

With a flick of her fingers, Carmen pulled out the pins holding her hair in place, shaking her blonde tresses around her shoulders. She looked like an angel, but the expression on her face was anything but innocent. "Here's the deal," she said, as if negotiating a business transaction, resting her hands on her hips. "You want me? Come get me."

Rob didn't need telling twice. He pulled her into his room. The door had barely closed when he pushed her up against it, capturing her mouth in a searing kiss. She felt her mouth melt open to take in his eager tongue. He leaned into her, and he was even harder than he was in the elevator. She fumbled with his shirt buttons, peeling the shirt off him. She tossed it aside, and then ran her hands down his tight abs before pushing his pants down. She reached down into his boxer shorts and Rob growled, nearly exploding at her touch. He pushed the boxers down and stepped out of them. Their lips still joined, he carried her to the bed and sat down, letting her straddle him. He ripped the robe off her, revealing her naked form. With a low groan of approval, he closed his mouth over one firm nipple, and then the other. Carmen threw her head back and bit her lip to suppress a moan, jamming her fingers into his hair, the heat pooling in her loins as he sucked, licked and nipped on her heaving breasts. Screw foreplay, she wanted him _now_.

Pushing him none too gently onto his back she mounted him, easing herself onto his erection. Then smoothing her hands over his torso, she rotated her hips, moving hard and fast. They stared into each other's clouded eyes, their breaths coming in short, lustful pants. Burying his hands in her hair, he brought her face down to his and kissed her passionately. Muffled groans emitted from them both as she rolled her ass on his shaft, taking him deeper inside her. "God, that feels so good, baby," he growled into her ear, his gruff, husky undertone compelling her to ride him faster.

The cool room was saturated with the fleshly sounds of skin slapping against skin, punctuated by grunts and sighs and moans. Carmen sat up straight, reaching behind her to grip his thighs. More loud moans escaped her lips, and she threw her head back as Rob's large hands stroked and kneaded her breasts. In turn she clasped her hands over his, grinding harder on him. Dear Lord, his hands were gifted. His touch sent electric currents through her. Somewhere from the back of her mind, the little voice emerged again, telling her that this was wrong. But she couldn't stop, not when he felt so amazing inside her, not with the way her body yearned for more, to do away with this tension once and for all.

Rob's hands slid back down to her gyrating waist, guiding her up and down his shaft. Then without warning, he lifted his hips off the bed and plunged into her. Then he did it again, groaning as he started pumping in and out of her. At first she yelped with surprise, but carnal bliss quickly took over her senses. She dug her fingernails into the pillows, crying out with pleasure as he angled his hips, hitting every corner of her throbbing core hard and fast. All the dreams, all the fantasies she had conjured up in her head about this experience paled in comparison to the real thing. "Ohhh fuck! Rob!" she whimpered, "Rob…oh God…yes, yes, don't stop, Rob!"

Hearing her calling out his name like that drove him into an animalistic frenzy. He pushed himself off the bed and flipped them over so that he was on top of her. He set her legs upon his shoulders and placed his hands on either side of her head. He flexed his hips, slamming into her tight, wet opening so hard that both of them saw stars. "Fuck, Carmen!" he rasped as he buried himself inside her again and again, the bed underneath them creaking from the force of his thrusts.

"Oh _God_, Rob!" Carmen was screaming now, clutching his hips as the waves of ecstasy reached tempestuous, dizzying heights. "Fuck! Yeah, yeah…oh FUCK!" Her body arched off the bed as the orgasm surged violently through her body. Rob continued his frantic thrusts until he climaxed with a loud roar before collapsing on top of her. His face rested in the crook of her neck as they fought to catch their breath, both breathing hard and shaking as they slowly regained control of their bodies.

With some effort, Rob rolled off of Carmen and onto his side. Gathering her into his arms he planted a breathless kiss on her lips. She held him tightly, her face nuzzling his neck. They stayed that way in each other's embrace until they slipped into deep, satisfied sleep.

* * *

_**A/N: Yeah, so I've got that out of the way, my first-ever sex scene! Nice, right? Anyway, I'm going to be pretty busy over the next few weeks, so updating might be few and far between. But hey, help spread the word around about a lil' known author named BigRedMachineUK , and keep reading and keep the reviews coming! Hopefully by the time I'm back, I'll have new stories up for ya! Thanks so much! Peace and much love!**_


	36. Chapter 36

**_Chapter 36_**

The sunlight shone through the opening between the thin curtains, warming Carmen's face, willing her to wake up. Disoriented, she sat up, raking her disheveled hair back with her fingers as she took in the unfamiliar surroundings. It was when she saw her white robe still lying on the floor next to the bed that the events of last night came rushing back. Last night. In this room, on this very bed.

Oh yeah, she remembered all right.

In fact, just thinking about it brought the heat rushing back into her nether regions. Incredible was not even enough to describe what she had experienced the night before. She and Rob had made love a few more times during the night, and the guy was an absolute god. He had taken her to another dimension; revealed places inside of her that she didn't even know existed.

Carmen's actions leading up to that moment, believe it or not, were no accident. Sure, she had a few drinks, but everything else she had done she did on her own volition. She had spent so much time trying to fight Rob away, and she had been on the losing end of every bout. Last night she finally gave in to the temptation that had poked and prodded – literally and figuratively – at her. And she didn't regret it, not the mind-blowing sex at least.

It was the consequences that worried her, and she could already see them unfolding, each one as complex as the emotions running through her. Had she made too brash of a decision jumping into bed with him? She had hoped that perhaps getting it over with, releasing the sexual tension would make things better once and for all. But right now, sitting alone in the bedroom with this dull ache of realization stabbing at her was telling her otherwise. A possessive ire currently occupied her body, wondering where Rob went so early in the morning, yet she knew he always went to the gym at this time, without fail. RVD was merely a means to an end, right? She only wanted a long overdue fuck. That was it. She wasn't supposed to be moping around like a jilted one night stand, like she was doing right now.

The door opened, and Rob walked in. "Oh hey, you're up," he said, then paused, still standing by the door. His eyes swept over Carmen as she sat up in the bed, staring at him through her tousled blonde hair, with nothing but the bed sheets covering her beautiful body; she looked incredibly sexy, and even felt himself getting hard again.

Carmen's cheeks flushed under the scrutiny, and she drew the blanket more closely to herself. "Hi."

"You missed an awesome workout session," said Rob, throwing his things on the chair in the corner. "I would have dragged you along, but you looked so peaceful when you were sleeping. I didn't want to bother you."

Thank goodness he didn't. She wouldn't have budged anyway. Last night's 'workout' was enough to last her the week. "Thanks, I guess." She made an attempt to move. She really needed to get out of here.

"I got you some breakfast, by the way," Rob said, causing her to face him again. He lifted up the brown paper bags in his hand. "I got toasted bagels and coffee. With cream and sweetener, just the way you like it, of course."

The suggestive tint to his tone nearly drove her crazy. She couldn't bring herself to speak for fear of sounding like a freshly-deflowered teenager. Damn it! She could handle this. They had sex, big deal. She wasn't supposed to be feeling all jittery like this. She was going to get up, pick up her things and go back to her room and regroup. Yes, that _was_ a good plan.

He set the breakfast on the table on her bedside. And then sitting on the bed, he took her face in his hands and kissed her. Caught off guard, she gave a start as their lips touched, but a second later she was kissing him back, all plans to escape dumped on the back burner. The rabid urgency of the night before was absent, but there was more taste, more sensuality, like they were taking time to savor each other this time around. He deepened the kiss, wrapping his arms around her naked form pressed against his, the thin bed sheets and his sweatshirt the only barriers between their bodies.

A few seconds later they pulled apart and their foreheads rested against each others in a short but tender moment, and he reached out to run his fingers through her strawberry-blonde hair. "Was last night amazing or what?" he whispered.

She went red again, a smile forming on her face. She focused on his thumb tracing the back of her hand as he continued speaking. "Well, more or less due to the fact that it was you who, kinda…" he paused, chuckling. "You know, started it. And it surprised me, really."

"Yeah, you can thank the alcohol for that," she said sarcastically, then shook her head with a sigh. "Look, I don't want things to become awkward between us."

Rob huffed. "Come on, you know RVD don't do awkward. If anything, we should grow closer from this."

Carmen rolled her eyes in mild self-chastisement. Of course. Rob was the most happy-go-lucky man in the world on his worst day. Very little fazed him. "Closer?" she repeated.

"I'm not saying we have to start dating exclusively or anything," he said, "but, you know, things definitely have to change."

She eyed him curiously, pushing her hair back. "Really? Enlighten me."

"Well for one, I think we should do this more often." He kissed her softly on the cheek, his hand touching her hip. "And this," he placed another one on her neck, a juicy one which made her shiver with need. "And this." His mouth covered her own again. Carmen relaxed for a beat, responding to his kiss, sighing as their tongues explored each other's again, just like last night…

"I don't get it," she blurted out, pulling away. His flustered features twisted in confusion as she continued, in one big rush of a babble. "I mean, Stacy's wanted you forever, and Stephanie…well, that's a whole different story. We couldn't even stand each other in the beginning. So why me? Why would you want anything to do with me when all I've done is act like a bitch towards you?"

"Because that's all it ever was," he replied simply with a smile, his fingers playing with her hair. "An _act_. You're tough, yeah, but not a bitch." He leaned closer, whispering conspiratorially. "Though, I gotta admit, watching you getting mad at me all the time _kinda_ turned me on."

Gasping, Carmen slapped his arm. "Shut up!"

Rob laughed. "I'm gonna take a shower, alright?" He leaned forward and kissed her again before getting up and going to the bathroom. As soon as he shut the door, the smile plastered on her face faded. She could feel her heart methodically chipping away. It was obvious that Rob had become attached, but just as evidently still completely unaware that all she'd been doing was using him._ Fuck. And to think that he turned out to be a pretty decent guy. He deserves so much better…_

_Fuck what he deserves! _That annoying tiny voice popped into her head once again._ It's not your problem he's such a moron! Get in, get off and get the hell out of the Alliance!_

As cantankerous and inopportune as it was, the voice was right. This 'relationship' was never supposed to happen, wasn't part of the plan. All she was supposed to do was to assert herself within the Alliance, steal their secrets and cause as much havoc as she could. It wasn't her fault that Rob stuck his nose where it didn't belong.

So why did she feel so terrible?

Because she allowed it to happen. She let Rob get to her after a few half-hearted attempts to walk away. She had developed a weakness for him, and as the day grew nearer to when she would have to leave, Carmen felt the guilt weigh more heavily upon her. She would give a lot to have another way out of this. But nobody always got what they wanted, and that was more than Carmen could take.

Because after effectively sealing their relationship last night, she seriously doubted that she could ever really let Rob go anymore.

* * *

Jeff Hardy sat Indian-style on the edge of his hotel room bed, rocking back and forth slightly, his mind racing from what he had overheard barely fifteen minutes ago.

_Jeff swung his bag over his shoulder, whistling as he walked down towards the gym. He heard voices speaking, and he slowed his footsteps. Even at this early hour, those Alliance scumbags would undoubtedly be milling around the hotel, so as a precaution he sidled to a corner, back pressed against the wall. The voices were right around the corner, making it impossible to move, and more importantly making it impossible not to eavesdrop._

_"I'm telling you, Austin's onto us." That was Rob Van Dam, but Jeff may have been mistaken because the usually laid-back drawl of the Hardcore Champion was substituted by an urgent, almost frantic whisper._

_"How do you know that?" Paul Heyman sounded impatient, annoyed even._

_"He threatened to tell her! I'm not makin' this shit up, man!" A round of short, rapid footsteps followed. He was pacing. RVD _never_ paced. Oh, this was big._

_"Calm down, Rob. Austin's bluffing, as usual. He doesn't know shit, and he's not gonna know unless you open your fat mouth. So you just concentrate on doing what you're supposed to do. Bring me what I asked and I'll see to my end of the agreement. Unless you've changed your mind."_

_There was an uncomfortable pause. "Look, Paul, I was thinking-"_

_"You _haven't _changed your mind, have you?" Jeff could almost see the taunting sneer on the portly man's face._

_Van Dam's breath rattled out in a sigh. "No. I haven't."_

_"Well you can't, because I need you, Rob. We want to bring Austin down, right? This will go a long way to doing just that."_

_Jeff did not wait to hear the rest. He quickly and quietly __hurried back in the direction from which he came, trying to disappear before any of them came this way and caught sight of him._

Drawing his knees up to his chest, Jeff turned towards the second bed and stared at Matt, who was currently on a trip to Dreamland, seeing him without seeing him. Each time the younger Hardy replayed that conversation in his head, the subversive tint clouding it grew darker and more sinister. There was no mistaking it. He had walked right into a conspiracy plot, one that was brewing against Stone Cold Steve Austin from within his own camp. He was surprised that someone within the Alliance would dare concoct such a plan, try to overthrow the volatile Rattlesnake. And whoever 'her' was…there was only one person the Ultimate Risk-taker could think of that Van Dam could be referring to, and that was Carmen. She was the common factor after all; Heyman always had a thing for her, as did Austin, and she was managing Rob. But that was where the similarities ended, and Jeff didn't know what to think.

Lita had told him countless times that whatever the blonde woman did nowadays was no longer any of their business. But what Lita didn't understand and probably never would, was the depth of Jeff's loyalty to Carmen. The history they had was special to him. He would always be protective of her, and right now his Spidey senses were going haywire. He didn't know what was going on, but he couldn't help but think that Carmen didn't either. That reason alone was enough for Jeff to believe that his former teammate was in grave danger.


	37. Chapter 37

_**A/N: As I'm writing this, I'm realizing that WWE matches of today are not really called like this anymore! I don't know any referee's name, and the Divas' matches have become bland and generic because the WWE barely cares about them anymore. I wonder if that will ever change. I'm hoping it does.**_

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**Chapter 37**

_Smackdown_

_Jim Ross_: Ivory's measuring Lita, and we can only assume that she's about to hit the Poison Ivory, and here she comes! Oh, a clothesline on Ivory by Jacqueline! Jackie intercepted with a vicious clothesline on Ivory! And the referee didn't see it! He was inadvertently knocked out after Ivory threw Lita into him in the corner!

_Paul Heyman_: That's not fair! Jacqueline's not supposed to be in this match! Earl Hebner turned around on purpose! What a biased referee!

_JR_: And Lita's getting back to her feet, she's looking a little groggy here. Can she finish off Ivory and…oh look out! Oh my God! Carmen just hit Lita right in the face with the Women's title! Lita's gotta be out cold! And the referee Earl Hebner's back on his feet. He saw what happened, and he has rung the bell for disqualification!

Howard Finkel announced, "Here is your winner by disqualification: Lita!"

_JR_: Oh my God, what a shot to the head by Carmen, that was absolutely vile!

_Heyman_: Hey, you didn't say anything when _Jacqueline _interfered! Carmen was merely evening things out. Tit for tat, my friend! Tit for tat!

_JR_: Well we've always known that Carmen has a mean streak, but ever since she joined the Alliance, she's taken the word 'battle-ax' to a whole new level. Sure, she won the WWF Women's title at Summerslam in impressive, emphatic fashion, but I don't think being Champion is enough for her. She is absolutely hell-bent on stamping her authority on the Women's Division, and as a result, she's become a remorseless, opportunistic hellcat!

_Heyman_: The Alliance will take that as a compliment on behalf of the WWF Women's Champion and the most dominant female in wrestling today, the intrepid, undeniable slice of hotness that is Carmen! She doesn't need to stamp her authority; she's already done that! That's why she's the one holding the gold! She knows what she has to do to get the job done and that's the mark of a true champion! Look at that! That's perfection right there! That's what Team Xtreme was trying to hide from us!

He gestured towards the top of the ramp where Carmen and Ivory stood, the Women's champion holding up her belt triumphantly. Her other hand was being help upwards by Ivory, who simultaneously pointed at her mentee.

"Aw there's gonna be hell to pay, make no mistake about it," said JR, as a frustrated Jacqueline, kneeling over a knocked-out Lita, banged her hands on the canvas. "It might not be now, but it's sure gonna happen. Jacqueline and Lita will not rest until they've had their revenge over Carmen and Ivory!"

The latter two made it backstage, soaking in the adulation from the Alliance members who cheered and high-fived them. Carmen rolled her eyes as some of the guys drooled at her ample cleavage, which was displayed enticingly through a revealing purple bra top. Whatever. She was a woman. She had tits, and a nice damn pair too, if she said so herself. Why not flaunt them? After all she paid good money for them.

Lillian showed up out of the blue, effectively spoiling the little celebration. "Carmen," she called, practically shoving the mic in her face. "After tonight's match, word has it that you and Lita could have a one-on-one rematch at Unforgiven. What are your thoughts? Do you feel threatened by possible retaliation from Lita?"

Incensed, Ivory got in her face. "What, are you _crazy_ or something-"

"I'll handle this, Ivory," Carmen said calmly, fixing her cold glare at Lillian. "What do _you_ think, Lillian?"

Taken aback by the about-face of the direction of interview, the diminutive reporter struggled to find a response. "Well I, uh…"

"Exactly!" snapped Carmen, startling the petite backstage interviewer. "The answer's no. I have no reason to, especially after I've already beaten her once this year. And as for the possible rematch at Unforgiven, well, how about I just make it official right now?"

She snatched the microphone out of Lillian's hand, smiling as she spoke. "I'm gonna challenge my ex-best friend, Lita to a match at Unforgiven for my Women's Championship." She patted the gold on her shoulder proudly. "Maybe now, we'll see once and for all just who the _real_ Queen of Extreme is. But for me, it'll be just another opportunity to kick Lita's ass…again."

Carmen thrust the mic back at Lilian and trudged off. She had set the ball rolling for her plan.

"So tell me babe, is Rob really that good?" Ivory asked, sending Carmen a meaningful look. Carmen was so shocked that she skidded to a halt. "What?"

Ivory rolled her eyes. "Oh please, don't pull that dumb blonde shit with me. You disappeared for an entire night, and when you re-emerge you got that 'I just got fucked all the way to heaven and back' glow about you. It's quite obvious you and Rob have left the friend zone. The confidence oozing from you could've only been caused by a good dosage of nookie. And judging from the way you've been walking all day, he's quite the crippler." Ivory put her hands on her hips, smiling.

There was nothing Carmen could do to keep the conceding blush off her face. "Oh God."

"Don't get me wrong, I'm happy for you. At least you're gonna stop moping around looking all stiff and shit."

The Women's champion's face grew even redder. "Shut up!"

"Hey."

"Speak of the devil," Ivory whispered, sending her a knowing wink before disappearing. As she turned around Carmen could hear her heart thumping in her ears. She couldn't even look at Rob without blushing wildly. If she wasn't before, she was definitely falling for him now. She was becoming attached and that was seriously diluting her resolve to leave him.

"Great match," said Rob with a smirk. "Though it wasn't technically your match…"

"Um, thanks," Carmen answered with a playful roll of her eyes.

"Look, I got something to tell you, but I can't say it out here."

Carmen wiggled her fingers, feigning exaggerated excitement. "Ooh, big secret, yeah?"

"Kinda," the Hardcore champion conceded with a laugh. "No one knows about it yet. Come on." He started walking towards his locker room. "So, Lita huh?"

The blonde Diva shrugged. "Well, it's about time we had a one-on-one encounter, so why not do it at Unforgiven?"

"Can't wait to see that," Rob said. "Your feud's been quite entertaining, a real get-some-popcorn quality."

"Really?" Carmen walked into the locker room, adding sarcastically, "glad you're enjoying the show. You want something for your popcorn while I'm at it?"

Rob closed the door, licking his lips as his eyes swept over her body. "Well, there is one thing..."

And Rob brought his lips down upon hers. Carmen groaned as he pulled her flush against him, her title belt sliding off her shoulder right before she ran her hands up his chest and around his neck. He intensified the kiss, his tongue deftly finding its way into her waiting mouth.

"Hey, hey," she managed to croak out after a while, but as Rob trailed his tongue lightly down her neck, she was certain that the only reason she was still standing was because he was holding her. It was when his fingers hooked the waistband of her baggy pants that she pulled away slightly. "Now let's focus here," she said, tracing her finger along his chin. "You said you had something to tell me."

Arms still wrapped around her, his eyes twinkled proudly. "Heyman's going to announce me as the number one contender for the WWF title."

She gasped. "Finally! When?"

"He didn't say. But I'm guessing sometime next week. I'll be in the main event at Unforgiven!"

He was smiling so infectiously hard that she joined in. "Wow. I'm really happy for you, Rob," she told him sincerely.

He nodded, pressing a soft kiss to her forehead. "Think about it, beautiful," he whispered into her hair as he rubbed her back, "You, Women's champion; me the WWF champion. The Alliance would be pretty much unstoppable with us at the top."

Carmen felt her conscience stab at her. Just how optimistic did he sound? And just how heartbroken would he be when he found out the truth?

Just then Lance Storm burst into the locker room, his expression grim. "Carmen," he greeted her curtly. "Rob, turn on the TV!"

They watched, Carmen and Rob horrified as Tazz was currently in the middle of the ring, getting the crap kicked out of him by Austin. His shirt was in pieces, scattered around the ring, and no one was going to Tazz's aid. Rob was seething at this, and Carmen knew that Tazz was a good friend of his. "What the fuck!" he cried incredulously.

"Apparently," Lance explained solemnly, "someone told Austin something about Tazz planning to defect from the Alliance. I'm hearing it was Stasiak."

"That fucking asshole!" Rob was exasperated and annoyed. "Everyone knows Stasiak will screw over his mom for Austin!"

As the two men continued to talk, Carmen quietly let herself out. Pressing her back against the wall, she released a shaky breath, running a trembling hand through her hair. The rate at which Austin was taking out people from both factions was escalating rapidly. Sooner or later he would come for her. He wasn't going to take her actions at the restaurant lightly at all. She had to act fast.

She went to the Women's locker room to grab her duffel bag. As she headed towards the parking lot, she dialed the first number she could think of.

"'Lo?" a gruff voice materialized in her ear.

"Taker, it's Carmen," she whispered.

"Been a while, kid. How you doin'?"

"Well enough."

"Is there somethin' you need?"

Carmen began to speak, then halted. Her head snapped to the left, certain she had just seen something. But there was nothing. Tentatively, she returned her attention to her phone. "Look Taker…I can't stay here for another few weeks," she said, her voice dropping slightly.

"What's the problem?"

"I just…" she started, hoping he could not pick up the nervousness in her voice. "I just don't think it's safe here anymore. There's a lot of rumors going around. Call me paranoid, but I'm getting worried that people might be onto me." Well, mainly Christian, but she couldn't tell the Dead Man _that_.

"But Vince doesn't have you return for another six weeks," said Taker.

"Why though?" Silently chastising herself for sounding too whiny, the blonde looked around again. For some eerie reason, she felt like she was being watched. "Look, I've got the title," she reasoned, lowering her voice. "What else am I doing here? And by the way, I picked Lita to face at Unforgiven for a reason. I'm not aiming to lose, don't get me wrong, but no matter what happens the title would go to the WWF regardless of who wins the match. Talk to Vince, Boss. Let him give me the green light. I've done everything I can with the Alliance and I think it's time for me to get outta here."

There was silence at the other end, and Carmen had to slow her pace to hear the veteran's reply, a myriad of impatience and anticipation nudging at her.

"I'll talk to him," Taker finally said. Carmen breathed a sigh of relief and thanked him before stashing her phone back into her pocket. She had done her part. Now all she could now do was hope.

She spotted the black rental SUV she shared with Rob. On reaching it, she started to open the passenger's door when suddenly she felt a hard shove on her back. She stumbled forwards, nearly tripping over herself. A pair of hands grabbed her and viciously threw her against the truck. Carmen collapsed to the floor like a ragdoll. She hissed loudly, grabbing her arm as pain surged through her. But she didn't get time to grieve as her head got yanked backwards, causing her to yelp in pain. Looking up weakly, her eyes then widened as they met a pair of familiar hazel ones.

Crouching beside her, Lita tightened her grip on her hair. The top of her left eye where Carmen had clobbered her earlier tonight had already turned a harsh shade of purple. "So, you think you're better than me, huh?" she hissed in Carmen's ear, the sadistic tone to her voice sending unpleasant tremors down Carmen's spine. But the redhead had only just begun. "At Unforgiven," she continued, smirking evilly, "you're gonna have to face me in a _No Disqualification _match! _Then_ we'll see who the _real_ Queen of Extreme is!"

With that she violently pushed the Women's champion away. Carmen grunted with pain as she collided heavily with the hard concrete ground. Lita then dumped Carmen's duffel bag on top of her battered body, chuckling cynically as she strolled away from her former friend.


	38. Chapter 38

_**A/N: For the record, I never thought I would imagine missing the whiny, screeching, bitchy, crimped, heel Stephanie McMahon of the WWF days, but I do, and it's quite evident in this chapter. To all the WWE newbies that want to know what I'm talking about, look for all of her videos on YouTube, and enjoy the goddess that was Ms. McMahon.**_

_**PS read, enjoy and review! The alerts are great, but I'd love the feedback more!**_

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_**Chapter 38**_

The swimming section of their latest hotel was packed with ECW and WCW wrestlers relaxing in the warm sunshine. As Carmen watched quietly from her vantage point of the alfresco bar, sipping on a Cosmopolitan, she realized that it didn't bother her one bit that she would feel no regret leaving the Alliance. As much as she had made some contribution to the Alliance's recent resurgence, she had never been made to feel like she was a part of them, and that suited her just fine. The WWF was, and would always be her true home.

But one person who had weaved himself seamlessly into her life was Rob. They were now so close that Carmen had even reached a point where she could say that she trusted him. But ever since the announcement as the number one contender for the WWF title on Raw just two nights ago, he'd become kind of distant, especially with her. She couldn't tell exactly why, but she wanted to believe that it was the pressure of emerging as the man to carry the glory of an entire company on his shoulders that was getting to him, as much as he denied it. But she could see right through him. Sure, he had an impressive record as ECW champion, holding it for twenty-four months straight, but it was not, could never, be as global as being WWF champion. If he did, the perks, as well as the pressure, would be immense. As laid-back as RVD was, or tried to be, Carmen wasn't sure if even he was prepared for all of it.

"I'll have what she's having."

Stephanie McMahon had materialized by Carmen's side, leaning against the counter. Dressed in a green halter top, tight leather pants and heels, she sent her a haughty glance, and Carmen smirked. "Hmm, who let the dogs out?" she muttered as she sipped her cocktail, but loud enough for the Billion Dollar Princess to hear. She snapped her head to the side, a rude word about to form on her lips, but she banished it away with a snicker. "Nice to see you too, Carmen," she answered smoothly.

"Pleasure's all yours."

As he dropped a Cosmopolitan in front of Stephanie, the bartender eyed the two women before quickly – and wisely – vanishing, the tension that had fallen around him too thick for even the friendly man to handle.

"Tell me Carmen," Stephanie began, resting her back against the counter. "I've been away for a while, and I always like to be updated about everything going on in the Alliance. So, how's RVD?"

Carmen gave her a strange look. "Um, what are you asking me for? He's over there," she said slowly, pointing in his direction, where he was conversing with Billy Kidman and Booker T.

"Oh cut the crap! You know _exactly _why I'm asking you," Stephanie cut her short. "You think I don't know what you've been up to with my star talent?"

Carmen eyed her for a moment, as if questioning her audacity, before turning back to her drink. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Don't insult my intelligence. I'm not blind. I've been watching him. All he does lately is follow you around like a lovesick puppy! That's exactly what he has become, no thanks to you!"

"He's a grown man, Stephanie," Carmen said. "He can do whatever he wants."

"Exactly. He's a _man_. That means he's got a dick. And for some reason that I just can't fathom, he's decided to point it at _you_."

_Oh, he's done more than point it, sweetie_, thought Carmen. "Wow, is someone jealous?" she asked aloud, amusement dancing in her eyes.

"What, of _you_? Ha! Not in this lifetime, honey."

"Then I hope your little story has a point."

Stephanie glared at the Women's Champion, all small talk flying out of the window. "Rob Van Dam is a superstar, _my _superstar. He doesn't need distractions from the likes of you."

"The likes of me?" the blonde repeated, finally turning to face the Billion Dollar Princess. "You mean like, a _whore_? In that case I suggest you look in the mirror, sweetie."

Stephanie laughed a nasty sound, one that was devoid of all humor. "Wow, I didn't think it was possible, but your jokes are even lamer than your finishing moves."

Okay. The gloves were coming off right now. Carmen set down her cocktail and leaned closer to the ECW owner. "Oh, I got plenty more jokes, girly. Tell me, _Mrs. Helmsley_…you got that mother hen thing going on, right? You know, generous and selfless with your time and money, your _body. _How does Hunter feel about that?"

"Bring him into this discussion again and you'll regret it!" Stephanie fumed, her eyes blazing. She could almost tolerate the slut jokes, but Triple H was a no-go area when it came to topics of discussion, and hearing her husband's name coming out of Carmen's mouth sounded like a taboo.

Carmen, on the other hand, sneered. She had obviously hit a nerve, and she intended to squeeze the life out of it. "No, I'm being serious here," she said, feigning admiration. "He must be real proud of his wife, how willing she is to listen to the problems of her employees, taking them under her wing with open arms…or is it, open _legs_? Man, think of all those STDs you give him whenever you're home."

"I am warning you, bitch!" Stephanie moved right in front of her. Carmen slid off her seat, standing so close to her that their noses were touching. "What're you gonna do, sweetie? _Fight_ me?" She nodded toward their feet. "Let's go then. I'm sure everyone would love to see me wipe the floor with your ass."

"Touch me and I'll have you fired!" Stephanie retorted, pointing at her. Making a disgusted sound, Carmen maneuvered away from the offending appendage. "You gotta wonder though," she said with a sneer. "Just how did I manage to get everything going my way; and so easily too? Maybe, dear Stephanie, it's because, to quote your husband, I'm just that damn good. I got the title, and now I got your man. And it eats at you, doesn't it? It hurts you that I did it flawlessly, without any assistance. And now you want to take me out."

"I've screwed you over before. I'll have no problem doing it again," the Billion Dollar Princess stated with a derisive smile, referring to how she and Triple H had cost Carmen her first Championship at Armageddon last year by getting her opponent, Chyna, disqualified.

"Yeah, with Hunter's help," Carmen countered. "Isn't that how you always do it though? Get people to do your dirty work because you can't do it yourself? But Hunter's hurt. Who're you gonna replace him with? Who's gonna bail you out now, Steph, especially when nobody in the Alliance likes you?"

She let her words hang just a bit, cocking her head to the side. She could see the nervousness dancing in the ECW co-owner's eyes. Whatever tips the Cerebral Assassin was giving his wife on mind games were definitely not paying off. "You gotta learn how to handle me on your own, Princess," Carmen advised with a sickly, saccharine smile. "Otherwise nothing's gonna go right for you. Now if you excuse me."

Stephanie's eyes bore through Carmen's retreating back, watching her as she met up with Ivory. Obviously she had spent too much time away, because that blonde bitch was now under the illusion that she had power. Someone needed to bring her crashing back down to earth, and Stephanie was more than happy to be the one to do it.

"Let me guess," said Ivory, patting the empty space beside her on the sofa for Carmen to sit. "RVD?"

Carmen sighed. "Among other things."

"Isn't it obvious?" said Ivory. "She wants him. She always has. And now you snatched him pretty much from right under her nose."

Rolling her eyes, Carmen replied, "I didn't snatch anybody from anyone."

Ivory glanced at her. "Yeah, keep telling yourself that."

Carmen shrugged. "Believe what you want. However, that bitch really needs a life. Why is she on my case, huh? Why the hell is she so interested in Rob Van Dam anyway?"

"Rob Van Dam is her moneymaker," Ivory explained, holding a hand out in front of her and inspecting her fingernails. "Triple H is on the shelf, so she got herself a new…_investment_, if you will. She bought the rights to ECW, so technically she owns him. So if she wants to make him exclusive, in bed or otherwise, she's got every right. And to her, you're walking all over those rights."

She'd always known that getting physically involved with Rob would put her in a lot of trouble. But after spending a few more nights with him, Carmen was willing to take her chances with Stephanie. Really, how often did you find a guy that could dish out great dick like Rob did? "Well, tough," Carmen said. "Why isn't she after you? _You're_ the one fuckin' around with her ex."

Ivory rolled her eyes. "Way to make this about me, Carmen, but the difference is that _I_ don't have a bullseye on my back because of it. Look! Look at Stephanie."

Discreetly, Carmen turned. The brunette still had her eyes on Carmen, her angry expression unchanged since their confrontation. "You see that look?" Ivory asked. "Know what it means?" She leaned closer, as if sharing classified information. "It means you're in a bucket load of shit. She has you on lock now, Carmen, and she's not going to rest until she's hit the target." Ivory patted Carmen on the back. "Sure, you got Rob, but that's who you're also gonna have to deal with now, baby. Get used to it."

* * *

The adrenalin hadn't stopped rushing through Lita's veins since her No DQ match with Carmen was made official. She hit the gym twice a day every day. She felt like her career depended on the upcoming pay-per-view. She would have been lying if she said her loss at Summerslam had not dented her self-confidence. And now, as she sat in the hotel room watching tapes of Carmen, she was determined, hell-bent even, on proving that her former friend's victory was shown up for what it was – a fluke.

"They've become pretty close," Trish observed as she watched Rob tag Carmen into the match to face Jacqueline. She, along with the Hardy brothers and Edge were in the room with Lita, but up until this moment the redhead had barely paid any attention to them. "Who gives a shit?" she said. "He's not the one I'm facing at Unforgiven. _She_ is."

Jeff gave a shit. His stomach churned just thinking about what Trish was insinuating.

"Lita's right," Matt said with a huff. "Besides, they deserve each other anyway."

The petite blonde noticed that Edge had remained silent throughout the conversation. She looked down at his hands as his green eyes were fixed on the TV screen. He looked pale, and his fists were clenched so tightly that his knuckles were white. "I mean, it's her business if she wants to hang out with him," Matt continued. "Obviously she was too good for us otherwise she wouldn't have walked away-"

Suddenly, Edge shot to his feet, storming out of the room without a word. The slam of the door sounded like an earthquake. Lita stared at the door, and then turned her glare towards Matt. "Now look what you've done!" she scolded him. "Just couldn't shut up, could you?"

"Me?" the elder Hardy exclaimed indignantly. "What the fuck did I do?"

The Team Xtreme members were too busy debating to notice Trish follow Edge out.

"Edge! Wait!"

He didn't answer her. He kept walking, each step he took more tenuous than the other. Trish hurried to catch up with him. When she touched his arm, it seemed that that little bit of contact was enough to unravel whatever balance Edge had left in him. He suddenly dropped to the ground, spinning around and slumping ungracefully against the wall in a sitting position. Paralyzed for a few seconds and unsure of what to do, Trish then moved towards him gingerly and sat to his left, wondering vaguely just how silly they looked sitting on the floor in the middle of the hallway.

"That was some display back there," she said lightly, hoping to get him to open up, but when he said nothing, she tried a more direct tactic. "This is about Carmen, isn't it?" she asked carefully. "You went quiet the minute her name was brought up."

That sparked his attention, because Edge stared at Trish, obviously wondering what else she knew. Now that he was listening to her, she looked around cautiously before speaking again.

"I know Carmen's spying for the WWF."

Everything she had speculated for such a long time cleared up before her very eyes, as his widened at first before narrowing with suspicion. "What are you-"

"I'm not testing you," she promised. "How I know is a story for later. I had a feeling you were in on it too but I wasn't sure. You've been walking around like you got the whole world sitting on your shoulders, and every time Carmen's talked about, you go into some sort of withdrawal. This was exactly how I felt for a long time after _I_ found out."

Edge held her gaze for a long time before bowing his head. "Those three," he said somberly, referring to the other members of Team Xtreme. "They don't have a clue what they're talking about."

He truly resembled a man at breaking point. He was torn; torn between his loyalty to his organization and his loyalty to the current WWF Women's Champion. Feeling sympathy for him, Trish placed a gentle hand on his quivering shoulders. "And it has to stay that way if you want Carmen to be safe," she said softly. "It'll be hard, Edge, but we have to see this through. For her."

He nodded silently in a show of appreciation. Edge's predicament was no different from hers, but his tortured expression told Trish that there was a further complication added to his cause, and she needed just one look in his eyes to discover what it was.

Trish Stratus knew a crush when she saw one, and she knew her estimation was right on the money.


	39. Chapter 39

_**Chapter 39**_

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"_Talked to the Boss and he agreed. After UF, you'll be back here immediately. Do not lose the gold_."

That was the text message from the Undertaker after Raw yesterday. So it was official. Carmen had just over a week left with the Alliance. A dull pain throbbed inside her as she stared at the number on Rob's hotel room door. She didn't want to leave him. She really didn't. Taking a deep breath, she knocked.

The door opened five seconds later. D-Von and Bubba Ray Dudley emerged, with Rob following close behind. "Hey, beautiful," Rob greeted, giving her a quick kiss.

"Hi. Going somewhere?" She looked between the two brothers and the Hardcore Champion.

"Austin's called for a meeting," D-Von said.

"Yeah, something about finding a spy or something," Bubba Ray added, rolling his eyes. "The usual bullshit."

Carmen's pulse raced. Oh no. Someone told! Someone ratted her out, and she could guess exactly who.

When Rob went off to talk to Kanyon, Carmen weaved her way through the milling Alliance members. Making sure no one was looking she went up to Christian and shoved him in the midsection. "You lying motherfucker!" she hissed through gritted teeth, her blue eyes turning icy with rage. "You told Austin, didn't you? You said you wouldn't talk! I knew I shouldn't have listened to your sorry ass-"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Christian said, raising his hands up in self-defense. "What the fuck are you talking about? I didn't talk to anybody-"

Unfortunately she didn't seem convinced. "Don't cut that shit with me, Christian, cuz I swear to God-"

"Listen to me, Carmen," he said slowly and calmly, "I didn't say jack to anyone. I didn't rat you out. I swear."

Carmen scanned him for a moment before backing off. "So was I found out?" she asked tensely.

"I don't know," he answered, "but unless someone was able to link you with Edge, I doubt it."

"The only person who can do that is you," Carmen pointed out, her expression hard. Christian shook his head adamantly. "But I didn't. Who knows, maybe this doesn't even have anything to do with you. Just relax, okay?"

_Easy for him to say_, she thought. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Test with Shane McMahon. Oh no. She'd almost forgotten about him. He seemed unfazed but she could see the worry pressing upon his massive shoulders. It could be any one of them in trouble here.

Austin suddenly barged in, accompanied by Debra and William Regal. He may have been bald, but he still looked disheveled, and justifiably so after the hell Kurt Angle him through last week. On Raw, the Alliance had been forced to watch as Austin got kidnapped by Angle and taken away in his brand new truck. More embarrassing to see was the Rattlesnake crying and begging as the Olympic champion threatened to throw him over a bridge. For the Alliance, it was traumatizing, seeing their leader fall to pieces like that. Carmen made sure she taped that episode of Raw, just for kicks.

"Everyone, listen!" Regal announced. "There have been rumors going around about a spy that is dwelling amongst us within the Alliance. Now we don't know exactly how long they've been here; it could have been weeks, maybe months. However, we've just completed a thorough investigation, and we now know who the culprit is."

Austin walked around, glaring at everyone, and when he came to Carmen, her stomach dropped. But he moved away from her and she breathed a sigh of relief until she heard the name of the suspect.

"Christian!"

Shock coursing through her, Carmen's head bolted in his direction. She expected him to vehemently protest, but the blond man kept mute. He didn't even flinch under Austin's cold stare and pointing finger. "Care to explain to us how your brother showed up at a room full of Alliance members?" the Rattlesnake sneered. "I sincerely doubt it was a coincidence. What, were you gonna tell him our biggest secrets? Huh? Were you gonna sell us out?"

Christian said nothing. _Oh shit! He's covering up for me,_ Carmen realized with dismay. This was not right. She couldn't stand back and let him take the fall. She couldn't let Austin run him down like this and humiliate him this way for nothing. She had to do something.

"That's bullshit!" she heard her own voice speak up.

The buzzing room immediately fell into silence. The WWF Champion whirled around, glaring at Carmen. "What did you just say?"

"First of all, you're not the only holding a title around here, pal. Christian is the European Champion for Pete's sakes. Treat him with respect! And since you didn't hear me the first time around, I'm gonna say it again. Your theory is bullshit. So what if Edge happened to be at the restaurant? It's a public place. You know – a place that's open to _everyone_?"

She didn't know where she was getting this newfound gall from. It was probably the biggest mistake she would ever make, but maybe it was time someone stood their ground against Austin. Maybe it needed to be _her_, after everything she'd been through with him. Every single person was staring at this girl in utter amazement, but despite their shock and fear, everyone silently agreed that she definitely had much bigger balls than most of the men in that room.

Austin was pissed. "Like Regal said, we had an investigation-"

"I bet you just made him say that," she retorted, hands on her hips. "What did you investigate?"

A horrified Test kept mouthing at her to shut up. Ivory was shooting her a warning look, and Rob merely stared at her in surprise, all of which she chose to ignore. When Austin didn't reply, Carmen tilted her head to the side, observing him with disgust. "Just like I thought. You have no proof. You're jumping to conclusions as usual. That blockheaded mentality of yours will never carry this organization anywhere!"

Complete silence. Austin looked like he was going to blow up, and he nearly did. "What? You think you're _better_ than me? You want to be the leader now? What?"

"You mean becoming the company's monkey? I think I'll pass," she bit back. "As the WWF Champion I expect proper accountability from you. Stop beating up on people just because you can. But wait, as a matter of fact, _you_ have been the one making all these accusations." She cocked her head to the side and narrowed her eyes for effect. "How do we know the mole isn't _you_, Austin?"

She felt the room temperature drop at her words, felt the looks of utter disbelief thrown her way. If anyone had thought she was crazy before, now they were certain she was downright insane. If looks could kill, Carmen would have been as dead as a doornail thanks to Austin and Stephanie. But she didn't care. Austin needed to be shut up and if it backfired, tough.

"You just showed us what a phony you are!" she continued. "You always talk tough and beat up on anybody who you think doesn't come up to your standards. But look at last night. Angle tossed you around a little and you were crying, _begging_. What was that, huh? Everyone knows you could take Angle any day of the week, and you just let him do that to you? You're supposed to be our leader, someone we look up to; someone who fights for us. How do even we know you didn't plan this with him to throw any scent off you?"

Austin looked stunned – pun intended. "You must be outta your goddamn mind-"

"Answer her question, Austin!" Bubba Ray Dudley snapped. Austin was so shocked that his mouth clamped shut, falling silent. At that moment Carmen felt the power shift dramatically in her possession. Any inklings of doubt that flickered in the minds of the Alliance members were now extinguished by Bubba's outburst at the Rattlesnake. It was obvious that they realized the logic in the Women's Champion's words, and now everyone had turned to Austin, accusing glares on all their faces.

Dismayed, he glanced round at all of them, his expression manic. "What? You're gonna listen to _her_? I'm the damn WWF champion! I'm the leader of the Alliance!"

"That don't mean shit to any of us right now," Carmen retorted, and she could even spot some people nodding their heads in agreement. "With your actions you brought disgrace to that title, and more importantly, you brought disgrace to the Alliance."

Her voice fell to a whisper, seconds away from delivering the final blow. "You said that DTA stands for Don't Trust Anybody. But after what we saw last night," she crossed her arms. "I think DTA now stands for _Don't Trust Austin_."

Behind her, some guys murmured in agreement. It was then that Carmen realized something. For the first time ever, the Alliance was acting as a full, solid unit, and this rare moment had occurred just so that Austin, whom she knew a lot of them had despised, but had found no platform to say so, could finally be burned to the ground.

Realizing that he was beat, Austin's hands fell limply to his sides. He addressed everyone when he spoke, but his hate-filled eyes were trained on the Women's Champion. "This…meeting…is…over," the Rattlesnake snarled. He then stormed out of the room. Moments later, everyone else filed out. Some patted Carmen on the back as they passed by her. Others shook their heads, in awe at what they'd just witnessed. Carmen rolled her eyes at her before turning to Rob. He looked angry.

"Carmen, what were you thinking?" he asked. "Picking fights with Austin _again_? Are you crazy?"

"Well nobody else was gonna do it!" she answered defensively. "He was on a witch hunt. You know that!"

"Austin's a nutcase! Don't you know that already? Are you just _begging_ him to kick your ass?"

Her shoulders sagged remorsefully. She could see the annoyance written all over his face, and she felt terrible. "Rob…"

"I gotta go." Carmen was shocked as he strode away from her. Shit! He really was pissed. Rob _never_ got pissed. Time for some serious damage control!

"Rob? Rob!" she called. But he was gone. With a sigh, her eyes fell upon Christian, and something told her instantly that she was going to have to deal with RVD later.

"Are you out of your fucking mind?" Yep. Later, Rob.

"I should ask you the same thing," she retorted. "How come _you_ didn't give me up when you had the chance?"

"I said I wasn't going to, because I wanted to see how far you could go with it…" He trailed off, clearing his throat uncomfortably, averting his gaze.

Carmen raised an eyebrow. "At Austin's wrath?"

"That doesn't matter! You should've just kept your mouth shut!"

If she hadn't seen it for herself, she would not have believed it. But here was Christian, one of her worst enemies, actually showing…oh wow, this was priceless. "Aww," she cooed, "I didn't know you had a heart."

"And who the fuck gave you that idea?" The flippant demeanor, however, was not as convincing as usual, and Carmen rolled her eyes. "Calm down, cowboy. You're not that much of a badass. That's what you've been trying to do, right? The way you've acted towards everyone, especially your own brother – who, by the way, misses you a lot – that's not you, and we both know it."

Christian's head had whipped in her direction at the mention of Edge, his blue eyes slightly widened. It was then she knew that she was getting through to him. "And I know you miss him too," she continued quietly but firmly, "but you're too stubborn to admit it-"

With unexpected but ruthless speed, Christian seized her by the throat and shoved her against the wall, abruptly cutting off her speech. Shocked and spluttering, she looked up at him and gasped at his cold, hardened blue eyes.

"Do not, for _one_ second, act like you know shit about me," he hissed through clenched teeth, his lips close to her ear. "What you did with Austin means nothing to me. All I know is that I still have dirt on you and I won't hesitate to use it when I want! Never forget that!"

With that he pushed her aside and stormed off. And for possibly the very first time, Carmen took his threat seriously.

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_**A/N: So it's official. This is my final update for some time. I have a few things to get sorted between July and the middle of August and will be away from writing during that period. But you know the drill; keep reading, keep reviewing, recommend me to all your friends, and I'll see y'all soon. This is Ada, aka BigRedMachineUK, signing out! Love you all! XOXO.**_


	40. Chapter 40

_**A/N: I'm BAAAAAACK! I'm finally done with all necessary academic obligations, and I now have time to continue and update my stories. I also have a few more stories coming up so stay tuned for that. For now, here's Chapter 40 of Shattered Rose. Enjoy, and please review!**_

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_**Chapter 40**_

Having been born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia, Carmen was naturally a huge fan of hip-hop music. She listened to it all the time, especially when she was working out in the gym. The thumping beats always went a long way pumping up her spirits. But nowadays not even that could soothe her nerves. As she sat toweling her sweaty frame after a long bout with a punching bag, she realized she was miserable. Rob had barely spoken to her since the meeting, and it hurt her. She wished she could talk to him, but at the same time she decided it was best if they had some space. At least she would concentrate on her upcoming title defense.

Carmen spent the entire day training. She hadn't forgotten about Unforgiven and the challenge she was facing. As well as perfecting every move already in her arsenal she also had a new one in store. She learned it during her year-long stay in England earlier in her career, before she joined the WWF, but she had shelved it because she botched it so much. Now that she was in this No DQ match she was going to have to bring it back. When perfectly executed, it was a sure guarantee to win. No one, not even the Hardys or Lita had seen her do this move, so she couldn't wait to use it at Unforgiven.

"Hey, sport."

Carmen looked up and smiled. "Hi Test."

He sat beside her. "_Still_ taking out your frustrations?" he asked, glancing at the weathered – and soundly battered – punching bag. "Austin wasn't enough?"

"Drop it, babe." She turned her body fully towards him to observe him quietly. "How are you, Test?" she asked gently.

He looked at her, puzzled. "I'm…good."

"You sure?"

"Yeah. Why?"

She'd been hearing things about Test's well-being as of late, most of them not very encouraging. The rumor mill had him as acting a little crazy for a while. He was receiving this push for the Intercontinental title, but apparently he'd been saying that the prestigious title was beneath him. Well, she didn't care what was being said. She wanted to see and hear the truth for herself. And besides, she needed him to be in good shape for her as she reached home stretch. "Nothing. It's good to know that you're okay," she told him.

"What about you?" He had this look on his face. It was obvious he wanted to ask her something more specific, and Carmen was pretty sure what it was. "No, Test. We're not dating," she said.

The Canadian stared at her. "Wait, what are you-"

"I'm twenty-five, babe, not five." She shot him a look. "That's what you wanted to ask me. It's written all over your face."

Test narrowed his eyes. "So…you and Van Dam-"

She shook her head with a tight smile. "Nope."

A pregnant pause. "Interesting."

"How? Testosterone does not rule supreme, Test. We chicks know how to play the game too."

"Except it ain't a game for you anymore, is it?" He sent her a knowing look, which she averted her gaze from. "What makes you think that?" she asked, and the question sounded unconvincing even to her ears.

Test stared at her, and then his shoulders slumped, sighing audibly. "I knew it. Carmen, I warned you-"

"There was nothing to warn me about. All Rob ever was to me is a means to an end, and he's served his purpose."

"Oh, so it's Rob now?"

Carmen rolled her eyes. "Just fuck off, Test. Jeez. I can't wait to go back to the WWF so you'll stop bugging my ass."

"Well after the way you decked Austin at that restaurant, you better bail-"

Carmen froze. "Wait a minute. How did you know I slapped Austin in a restaurant?" she asked, turning to him.

Test abruptly shut up. His eyes widened in a "dear-caught-in-the-headlights" moment, but he shrugged nonchalantly. "Come on, everyone knows about it," he laughed, but it sounded more like a strained cough.

"No, only _four_ people saw what happened," Carmen insisted. "Me, Rob, Austin and Debra. Debra is the blabbermouth and she hasn't been here all week." Her scowl deepened when Test refused to meet her eyes. "Tell me the truth, Test."

"I gotta go," he muttered, getting to his feet. He slinked off before Carmen could stop him.

* * *

The room was pitch black, the only source of light being emanated from the TV screen. Austin glared at the video footage, watching the truth unfold before his very eyes.

He was never one for silly gossip, but at the same time all the information, all the juicy details he had at his fingertips right now was too good to pass up. You couldn't even make this up. It was every internet smark's wet dream, and he intended to use it all to his advantage. Nobody crossed Austin and got away with it and soon enough, certain people were going to find that out.

Like that little blonde, blue-eyed bitch. She was the mole. She was the one feeding all the Alliance's information to the WWF. She had tried to turn the Alliance members against him. He remembered with intense disdain how they had all looked at him like he was a piece of trash. Thanks to her little sermon, they no longer trusted him. They no longer took him seriously, but the fact of the matter is that if it weren't for Stone Cold, most of those idiots in that Alliance locker room wouldn't have a job. How he hadn't seen all of this before was beyond him. The entire damn thing had been painfully obvious from the very start. They would all pay, but most importantly _she_ would pay. He would see to that if it was the last thing he did.

A raving Stephanie stormed into Stone Cold Steve Austin's office. "I've had enough of this shit, Austin! She has got to go!"

"I wonder who that is now," Austin said calmly.

"That bitch, Carmen!" Stephanie slammed her palms on the table. "Who the hell does that tramp think she is, riding over everyone's authority like this? I don't give a flying fuck if she's Women's Champion! Fire her, Austin, fire her right now!"

Austin eyed her for a moment and then laughed. "Do I look like your daddy to you? I don't just flick my wrists like fucking Harry Potter and hand you whatever you want just because you asked for it."

Stephanie gasped, her blue eyes glowing indignantly. "Did you even see what happened out there? Did you hear the way she spoke to you like you're her fucking butler! And you're not going to do anything about it?"

Austin made a shrugging motion with his shoulders, his hard features dripping with nonchalance. "I'm biding my time."

"Biding your time! You…" Stephanie glared at him, wondering where this nonchalance was coming from, but she suddenly went stock-still, staring hard at Austin. When she spoke again, her voice held a note of disbelief. "Oh my God," she breathed.

"What?"

Not taking her eyes off him, she took a step back. "So it's true," she whispered. "The rumors, the backtalk. It's all true. No wonder you used to pick on Team Xtreme so much. It wasn't that you _hated_ them." She then pointed accusingly at him, turning her head to the side so that she was looking at him out of the corner of her eye. "I want Carmen gone, but you…you just _want_ her."

"Surely you don't believe that?"

"'_No one turns down Stone Cold Steve Austin'_," she repeated in an exaggerated Southern accent. "You said that along with the little sob story you fed Carmen at the restaurant, right before she clocked you in the face. What's gotten into you, Steve? Since when did Steve Austin start letting people get away with slapping him?"

Now it was the turn of the WWF Champion to freeze. "How the hell did you know that?"

"Walls have ears, Steve," she replied curtly.

"And _you_ planted those ears," Austin countered. "Stone Cold Steve Austin don't appreciate being followed, Stephanie."

"I heard you did a whole lot of following yourself with Carmen. Does Debra even know anything about that, this little crush you got on Carmen? Did she ever even know that you were chasing another girl right under her nose, a much younger woman for that matter? Oh I bet she'd love that!"

"Leave Debra outta this," Austin snarled. Stephanie's lips curved into a wicked smile. Now they were getting somewhere. "So it must hurt you, deep down in your soul, to see her with Van Dam. Notice how they've been getting so cozy lately? If you asked me I'd say he's already hit the home run more than once."

"Shut up," Austin said in a low and dangerous voice. But Stephanie was not backing down at all. She needed Austin's help, and if this was the way she had to get his attention then so be it. "I wondered why you hated Van Dam so much, but I understand now; not only is he after your title, he's got your girl too!"

Austin shot to his feet and charged at her. Gasping with alarm, Stephanie stumbled backwards, trying to get away from him, but the wall behind her put an end to her attempt at escape. She cringed as he hovered over her. "I said," he growled menacingly, eyes flashing like a hungry vampire smelling blood, "shut your damn mouth!"

She struggled to find a coherent response, instead choosing to lift her hands up to placate him. "Okay, okay. I'm s-sorry-"

"You wanna know what's _really_ going on, huh?" he said. "There are things happenin' right under your nose that you can't even see because you got your head so far up Van Dam's ass!"

Her hands still in the air, Stephanie looked up at him. "Fine, I admit it, I don't know what's happening. Maybe you can enlighten me. I could do something about it, help out."

"I don't need your damn help!" he snapped, whirling away from her. He placed his hands on his desk, trying without success to comport himself, but the blaze of fury that had flashed in his blue eyes hinted at the Billion Dollar Princess that he was losing this battle from within. "You'd be surprised at exactly how wrong you are," she said, "So are you gonna let me in or not?"

Picking up one tape from the top of a sizable pile, he slid it into the player. They were surveillance tapes, all stemming back from a few months ago. Slowly Stephanie's jaw dropped. Snatching an empty seat, she slid into the seat next to Austin, watching intensely.

"I knew it," she whispered, the words laced with venom. "That bitch…she's been playing us all along." She turned to Austin. "Tell me you've known all this time!"

"I always had my suspicions about her. No one flaps their gums like that if they ain't got back-up."

Crossing her arms, Stephanie looked Austin dead in the eye. "So I'm gonna ask you again. What are you doing about it, Steve?"

There was silence for a moment. "I got a little somethin' in mind…" Austin turned to her, a sick smile forming slowly on his face. "And I think you're gonna like it."

Stephanie leaned towards the Alliance leader, her smile matching his. "That is _music_ to my ears, Steve…"


	41. Chapter 41

_**A/N: This chapter contains some sexual content.**_

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_**Chapter 41**_

_Smackdown _

Jeff Hardy was literally running for his life. He was also sure he would lose it, with psychos like Justin Credible, Mike Awesome and Tommy Dreamer hot on his heels. How he'd even appeared in the Alliance territory of the arena was beyond him. He could only remember that some energy drink was sitting in the Hardys' locker room and being thirsty, he drank it all, but he realized too late that Matt had spiked it knowing that Jeff would be too lazy to go get one for himself. Jeff and vodka had never been friends, and right now it had become his worst enemy.

"Hurry up, he's getting away!" Dreamer called, and Jeff swore, certain that they were gaining on him. He ran faster, turned a sharp corner and ducked behind a huge equipment crate. The Alliance members flew past his hiding place. Jeff waited there for a few more moments to make sure he had lost them before emerging, breathing a sigh of relief.

"Problem, Hardy?"

Rob Van Dam jumped down from the top of the equipment crate and stood in front of Jeff, completely blocking his path. It was then that the Team Xtremer realized he had run into a dead end. Fuck.

He kept his mouth shut and his fists clenched, ready to fight. The Hardcore Champion noticed his combative stance and snorted with amusement. "What? You wanna go? Right here? Right now?" He shook his head. "I don't think so, buddy."

A snide smirk played on Jeff's lips. "Since when did you start turning down invitations to get your ass kicked?"

"In your dreams, Rainbow Brite. I can take you out like that." Rob snapped his fingers for emphasis. "Besides, I'm doing this for Carmen."

He wore a smile of his own when Jeff paled visibly. "Oh, did I hit a nerve? Well, I don't know what she still sees in you, but what I do know is that she will _kill _me if she finds out that I put you in hospital. So because of her, I'm gonna walk away and pretend I never saw your ugly mug. Got that?"

"Fuck you!" was Jeff's rather eloquent response, glaring maliciously at his rival, who shook his head as if out of pity. "Word of advice, dude," said Rob. "Get over it. She's not with you anymore, professionally _or_ personally. She's moved on, and I suggest you do the same-"

His words were cut off abruptly when Jeff flung him sideways against the wall, holding him there by the neck. "I got some advice of my own, motherfucker," the Team Xtremer warned, his green eyes blazing with hate as he dug his forearm further into Rob's throat. "First of all; mind your goddamn business. Second; I know you're going to hurt her sooner or later, and when _I_ hear about it, I'll hunt you down and kill you."

With that, Jeff abruptly released him before stalking off and out of sight. Massaging his throat and muttering curses under his breath, Rob emerged, turning left and in the process bumping into a certain blonde Women's Champion.

"Oh, hey," he said casually, sidling past her. But she grabbed his arm, stopping him in his tracks. "Rob, can we talk?" she asked. Her voice was velvety soft and seductive, drawing him in like a honey would to a bee. She looked like sex in low-rise jeans and a low-cut baby T-shirt, her streaked blonde hair blow-dried to perfection, and it took all of his willpower to stop himself from shoving her up against the wall and having his way with her. "What about?" he asked.

"What about?" she repeated, scoffing with disbelief. "Dude, you're avoiding me."

"No, I'm not."

They both knew it was bullshit. Ever since her infamous public dressing down of Stone Cold Steve Austin – of which the WWF had also heard about – everyone was now walking on eggshells around her. She expected that reaction, but not from Rob Van Dam. In fact she had expected him to be ecstatic. Wrong. "I haven't seen you since you the meeting, and that was three days ago," said the Women's Champion. "Rubbing Austin the wrong way couldn't have been all I did wrong, so spill."

He couldn't tell her the truth, he just couldn't. "Look, Carmen, I should go." He moved past her again but she got in his way. "Not until you tell me what's going on," she demanded, crossing her arms. And she meant it. Maybe their little "teammates-with-benefits" arrangement wasn't working for him and he was looking for a way out. Well, whatever it was, he'd better talk because she just wasn't going to let him leave until she got the truth out of him. At least she could move on from there.

"Look, I'm freaking out, okay? Do you know what it's like to be carrying an entire company on your shoulders? This title match is the biggest thing that's ever happened to me and I guess I'm not really handling it as well as I thought I would." Silence, then a heavy sigh. "And then there's the issue of you and Austin-"

"_Now_ we're getting somewhere," she muttered sarcastically.

"Carmen, I'm serious! The way you punked him out like that…I mean, he's a psycho, you know that. Right now he's feeling disrespected and he's going to want to get back at you, and he knows that it could throw me off my game."

Her expression didn't soften at all. "Great, now I sound like a distraction."

"Come on, you know I didn't mean it like that," Rob assured her.

"I told you before, don't worry about me. I can handle Austin. He's put me through worse in recent past. Besides, he'll be too busy counting down his final days as WWF Champion to bother about me. Right?"

She smiled, and Rob couldn't help but return it. She really was beautiful. "Look, I'm sorry; I've just had a lot on my mind. Friends again?"

Carmen pretended to think about it. "Sure, sure," she said, making a dismissive gesture with one hand, and they both laughed. "So now that this is outta the way, I need your help."

"With what?"

She made a show of looking around to ensure that no one else was listening, and in an exaggerated whisper, said, "It's top secret. I'll show you at the gym downtown tomorrow morning. Pick me up at 6.30?"

The Hardcore Champion watched her walk away with a grin, enjoying the view. "Sounds like a date."

Carmen merely rolled her eyes.

* * *

Early next morning Carmen was up, getting ready to meet RVD. She had received a heads-up from Trish via text that Lita would be coming to the same gym sometime that morning, so she had done the only thing she had thought of; convincing the owner to close it down for the rest of the morning so that she could have some privacy with her training, in true Alliance bitch fashion. Dastardly? Yes. Necessary? Absolutely.

"Pretty early for a workout, don't you think?" Ivory asked, sitting up in bed.

"Maybe," Carmen countered. The raven-haired woman said nothing, only making a skeptical "huh" sound. Carmen rolled her eyes, anticipating another snippy comment, because that was all Ivory ever came up with nowadays.

With each passing day Carmen could feel her relationship with her "mentor" slowly deteriorating, and it was not because of her disrespecting Stone Cold. Despite having had a match at Summerslam, Ivory was becoming disillusioned with her somewhat downgraded status in the pecking order for the Women's Championship. Test's pessimism was definitely rubbing off on her. Initially the Women's Champion had imagined that Test had indeed blown her cover, but she ruled it out immediately. He couldn't do that without exposing himself. Well, none of it mattered. Carmen was already accustomed to sleeping with one eye open, and she was seriously getting tired of the older woman. She couldn't wait to get her out of her hair forever, after Unforgiven.

"Are you sure Rob isn't becoming a distraction to you, Carmen?" Ivory asked.

"What makes you say that," she answered with feigned nonchalance. "Look, I'm enjoying this little chit-chat, but I gotta go. See you later." She headed for the door.

"Carmen?"

The young blonde turned back around, her hand on the doorknob. "Yeah?"

Ivory shot her a look that spoke louder than a thousand ominous warnings. "I'm just looking out for you. You know that, right?"

It was a trick question, but one that Carmen had the answer to. "Of course."

* * *

"I want to perfect my springboard hurricanrana," Carmen explained to Rob. "Can you help?"

"How about you show me how you do it first?" he said.

She got on the turnbuckle and took him down with the move. When she saw Rob laid out on the canvas with a pained expression on his face, she panicked. "Oh my God, did I hurt you?"

He shook his head, uttering through gritted teeth, "No, no, I'm fine." He got gingerly to his feet, and Carmen winced. "Sorry," she mumbled, embarrassed.

"Okay, here's what you need to do," Rob began. "Your leg strength is great. The moment you land on the shoulders though, try not to throw your arms too far out. It tends to overstretch the body, as well as slow down the move. Keeping your arms closer to you streamlines you, so you move faster and gives your opponent no time to counter."

For the next half-hour Rob explained and demonstrated his pointers. Four more attempts from Carmen finally did the trick, and he took every bump perfectly. "Much better," he remarked, "huge improvement."

On a high from her success, Carmen's bravado went up a notch. "Good to hear. Better to know that I don't have to drag your geriatric carcass to the hospital."

Rob froze. "_Geriatric_?"

Carmen crossed her arms challengingly. "You heard me, old man."

Feigning outrage, Rob shot to his feet. "Oh, you're dead meat, woman!"

He chased her around the ring until he caught her, both of them collapsing in a fit of giggles. Carmen was first to rise to her feet, leaning against the turnbuckle and laughing her head off. "Told you so," she giggled.

"You're right, I am getting old," Rob admitted. Then suddenly, in a flash, he was in front of her, confining her in that little space she was in. "But at least I'm still smart."

"Hey! No fair!" she whined. She made to duck through his legs but he grabbed her and pushed her up against the turnbuckle, pinning her in place with his bigger frame. Carmen inhaled sharply as their bodies grazed, and with that one moment, the mood changed.

Tense, sexually charged silence fell between them. Carmen gazed up at Rob, who returned her gaze, lust swimming in his dark brown eyes. She lifted up her hand to touch his cheek and he sighed softly, turning his face towards her hand. Her heart was pumping so hard in her chest she was sure it would pop out. In the same instant, the adrenaline still rushing within them suddenly hit breaking point, shattering the levees of self-restraint.

Carmen reacted first, pulling his head down so that their lips met. He wasted no time in responding to her, pushing her body up against the turnbuckle while she cupped his face in her hands as their kissing grew more fiery and passionate. God, he'd become an addiction that she was finding very difficult to give up; the way he kissed, the way he touched her, the power he now unwittingly held over her. They had been apart for three days but it had felt like three years, and she planned on making up for lost time, right here, right now, in the privacy of this empty gym.

She reached for his T-shirt and started to tug at it, making her intentions clear. "_Here_?" Rob said in surprise. The look of uncertainty in his eyes, wading through barely-restrained desire, turned Carmen on to no end. "Why not?" she asked, smiling devilishly as she relieved him of his shirt.

Giving a quick but firm nod, the Hardcore Champion kissed her again. He had definitely missed her too; she could tell from the erection pressing her thigh. He suddenly hoisted her from her feet, placing her onto the top turnbuckle. Her legs locked around his waist and his lips latched onto her neck. His hands were everywhere, and they ripped off her T-shirt so that he could caress her breasts. She helped him unclip the bra restricting them, and groaned with pleasure when his thumbs played with her already hardened nipples. The rest of their clothing shed, layer by layer until all that was left was skin on skin. Rob wrapped his arms around Carmen's body and together they slid back down onto the canvas, reacquainting themselves with each other's bodies.

Lurking in the shadows of the empty gym, with his ears ringing with the intensely erotic sounds of their lovemaking, Stone Cold Steve Austin watched the show, as furious as he was aroused.

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_**Please review!**_


	42. Chapter 42

_**A/N: Aw, I got just one review :( But thank you to i luv hardy. Come on, people! I need some encouragement here! Fingers crossed that this chapter entices you!**_

* * *

_**Chapter 42**_

Throwing her duffel bag into the trunk of the rental car, Trish glanced down at her watch. She'd just got out of a meeting with the WWF superstars, with everyone prepping for the Unforgiven pay-per-view. She went to wait at the parking lot as Lita stayed behind to round up her powwow with the Hardy brothers. However, there was nothing idle about her wait.

She heard the roar of the Harley-Davidson before she saw it, the noise echoing all around the parking lot. Taking a deep breath, she turned around.

The Undertaker and his bike were right in front of the petite blonde. "Trish," he said shortly.

"Uh, Lita will be here any minute," she replied quietly, looking over her shoulder, "so if we could make this quick."

"Vince said to give you this." He handed a letter to her. She shot him a curious look first before taking it and opening it. Taker leaned back against his bike and crossed his huge arms across his chest, watching as she read the contents, again, and then a third time before looking back at the Deadman. She now understood why this conversation couldn't be done in public. "And you're sure he wants _me_ to do this?" she asked.

"We know you're making your return to action at Unforgiven," said Taker, "and we're gonna need all the help we can get. We're not taking any chances, not even with the ladies."

"And what about Carmen?" she asked, brandishing the letter, "does she know about this?"

Taker shook his head, "and neither does Lita. And it must stay that way. So are you in or out?"

His tone gave her a sense that he had somewhere else to be, and wanted a rapid response from her. "Wow, um," Trish breathed, staring at the letter again. Her arms fell back to her sides. "Yeah, sure. I'm in."

"Good." He revved up his Harley. "I'll let him know." He rode off, with Trish staring after him.

"Sorry I took so long!"

Trish nearly jumped out of her skin as Lita came up behind her. Unfortunately she had seen the exchange between the little blonde and the Deadman from afar. "What was that about?" she asked curiously, spying the paper in her friend's grasp. "What's that?"

"Oh, it's nothing," Trish said casually, deftly stuffing the letter deep into her pocket. She tossed Lita's bag into the trunk, then got into the car and started the ignition. "Come on, I'm starving."

The redhead stared after her for a moment, before shrugging and following her into the car.

* * *

"You like that, beautiful?" Rob taunted, looking up at Carmen from between her thighs.

"Yeah, oh shit, yeah," she gasped, tugging on his hair as he feasted on her with his extremely talented tongue. "Oh God…"

Rob watched her as he licked her moist folds, enjoying the sight of her writhing underneath him while he pleasured her. He went a step further by massaging her sensitive nub with his thumb while his other hand stroked her thigh. "That feel good, baby?" he asked.

Now rendered speechless, she threw her head back and moaned loudly. Her body began to tremble as her climax approached.

The knock broke through the private locker room, interrupting Rob's "breakfast". His head turned towards the door, an annoyed expression on his face.

"Don't answer it," Carmen ordered, pulling his head back down between her legs. But the knocking grew more persistent, breaking the little concentration he had left. With an exasperated groan he pulled away from an outraged Carmen. "Really?" she said angrily, her legs still splayed apart across the sofa, throbbing for his attention.

"One sec, okay?" he promised, "I'll tell 'em to get lost."

As he went towards the door, Carmen sat up, sulking as she put her jeans back on.

"Hey beautiful," Rob called, "it's for you."

Carmen joined Rob at the door. A stagehand stood there. "What do _you_ want?" she snapped, thoroughly pissed.

"Mr. Austin wants to see you," the stagehand told her nervously. "He said to come to his office right now."

"For what?" she asked, smoothing down her disheveled hair.

"Dunno, I'm just the messenger," he said, gawking at her. It was hard to concentrate in the presence of a beauty like Carmen. But Van Dam shot him a dirty look and he quickly sobered up.

"Should I come with?" Rob asked her. She shook her head. "No, I'll be fine. Let me go find out what he wants."

Giving him a quick kiss (the stagehand looked crestfallen by this) she marched down the hallway towards the Rattlesnake's office. She doubted she would care what he had to say, with the high she was currently on. She and Rob weren't a couple officially but she still felt pretty good about how things were going. Nothing could dampen her spirits.

So she thought.

When she entered the entire room was dark, save for the little lamp sitting on the desk that cast a dim light on Austin's face. His beady blue eyes never left her.

"Sit your ass down," he growled, thrusting a chair at her.

Carmen hoped that the apprehension she was feeling did not show on her face. "What's this about, Austin?" she asked coolly, swallowing as he circled her seat, very much resembling the reptile he was dubbed after.

"I'm gonna make this simple and quick," he said in a low voice. "I know that you're working for Vince McMahon."

If he had smacked her in the face it would have been less painful. Floored by the point-blank accusation – or rather, the damning veracity of the statement – Carmen's pulse quickened. The first thing that came to her mind was to deny it, but Austin quickly put up a finger. "Ah, ah, ah," he sang, grinning. He had seen her reaction, watched her face slack with shock as he threw her deadliest secret in her face. "Don't even think about lying to me. I know how much you like proof and believe me, I got plenty of it. Have a look."

As her eyes fell upon the TV screen her heart sank even lower. It turned out that he had managed to get tapes of conversations she'd had with the likes of Taker, Sara and Jericho…and in every place possible too; on the phone hiding behind stairwells in arenas, outside her rooms. Another tape showed her giving DDP's video camera to Edge. The evidence would have been enough to put her away for life had it been a murder trial.

"Did you actually think I wouldn't find out about this?" he said.

She didn't answer, just kept that blank look on her face as if he wasn't even there, as if she couldn't smell his beer-laden breath. He decided to twist the knife in a little more. "And my, my, I wonder if your Hardcore boyfriend knows about this-"

"Van Dam is not my boyfriend," she retorted sharply, her lips curling into a sneer, "and he doesn't know anything, so if you think you can use him to hurt me you're wasting your time."

Austin merely smiled. "Oh, so he means nothing to you then?" She didn't respond. "Then you won't have a problem with what I'm about to tell you."

He leaned forwards until his lips were close to her ear.

"You're gonna take him out."

She blinked. "What?"

"You're gonna get him injured. Fuck him up badly enough that he won't be able to compete at Unforgiven."

Shock, and then rage, built up as she digested this information. "No! _No way_! Are you out of your mind?" she shrieked, getting to her feet. But Austin's expression changed so dramatically that her words faded from her lips, and she sank slowly back into the seat. He placed his hands on both sides of the chair, trapping her. She shrank back into the chair, so far in that her feet left the ground.

"This ain't up for negotiation, darlin'," Austin snarled. "Van Dam has been harboring a spy, a direct threat to the Alliance. He must suffer the consequences."

"You can't make me do that," Carmen continued, failing to keep the desperation out of her voice. "You can't! I _won't_!"

"Then I'll not only end Van Dam's career, you will lose your Women's title. And not just to anybody…" He leaned even closer to her, "…try Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley."

The room grew deathly silent as Carmen gaped at him. "What? You think I was gonna let you off that easy? That's the reason you're here, ain't it? You see, I figured that the plan was for you to bail after Unforgiven regardless of who wins your No DQ match, meaning that the Women's title will go to the WWF. But seeing as it's still in my territory, I can stop that match from happening as Commissioner. Just like that, I'll throw away everything you've worked so hard for, and give to Stephanie. But we ain't gon' need none of that drama if you make sure Rob doesn't make it to Unforgiven. Pretty fair deal if you ask me."

Carmen struggled to stay composed. This was unbelievable. "Austin," Her tone was placating now, her blue eyes pleading, "please. Don't do this…please."

He smirked. "Thought you said he meant nothin' to you."

"Damn it, Austin!" She smacked palm on the table in frustration. "Don't make me do this. Please. I'll do anything else you want, okay? Just leave him out of this."

There was a long, tense pause, and Carmen squirmed with a bitter mix of trepidation and expectation as she practically saw the light bulb going off in his demented brain. "Anything else, huh?" Then he looked at her. "Well, there _is_ something I want…"

He brushed a strand of hair away from her face. Carmen stiffened. His finger then traced the side of her face and jaw, down to her neck, creeping towards her exposed cleavage. It took her a split second to realize his insinuation, and she jerked away as if burned, glaring daggers at him. "I'd rather die than let you touch me," she snarled.

"But ya got no problem serving that pussy to Van Dam though, do ya?" said Austin, and Carmen felt her blood run cold. Something about the sinister look in his eyes and the menacing tone in his voice told her that he knew much more about her and RVD than he let on.

Austin leaned in, whispering in her ear, "You dirty slut. I saw you yesterday. I watched you fuck him right there in the middle of that ring. I watched him fuck you in every position in plain sight, not even giving a damn if anyone walked in on ya. You an even bigger whore than I thought."

"Oh my God," she began to tremble, "You _watched_ us? You sick son of a bitch-"

The Rattlesnake's smile got even sicker. "Take RVD out or I'll do it myself, and you _will_ lay down for Stephanie. Then you'll explain to your WWF buddies how that happened, huh?"

Dear God. He had thought this out meticulously, including the exact right time to drag Carmen into his sick, twisted plan. He made sure she had no other option but to surrender. And it worked.

"You got until Unforgiven," he instructed her. "And you better not get cold feet. If I see him still walking at the pay-per-view, you know what I'll do. You think I'm fuckin' around? Try me."

His track record, along with the destructive look in his eyes, was enough to prove that he meant every word he said. The bastard was enjoying this. Carmen felt sick. "But if…if I do it," she choked out.

"You walk, title and all. You'll leave the Alliance unscathed in exchange for taking care of Rob. You have my word."

Carmen ducked her head, willing the tears back as she neared the completion of her deal with the devil. She was trapped with no way out of this. Either way Rob was going to be hurt badly, in so many more heartbreaking ways than one. But she could control the outcome, and that was a risk she was willing to take for them both. In the end, the WWF came before RVD. She didn't come all this way, or work this hard to lose her title – to that talentless bitch, no less – and she couldn't have it both ways. Austin had made sure of that.

"You really have no conscience, do you?" she said, glaring up at him.

He shook his head. "No. That's why I'm the WWF Champion. But I'm glad we've come to an agreement." He reached out to cup her chin. "You shoulda known better than to mess with me, precious."

She knocked his hand away, filled with fury and revulsion. "Don't you _ever _touch me again," she growled harshly, before bursting out of the office.

When Carmen returned to the locker room Rob immediately picked up that something was wrong. Her usually glowing skin was as white as a sheet. "Carmen?" He held her shoulders. "Baby, you're shaking." His face contorted with anger. "What did Austin do to you?"

"Relax, Superman, he didn't do anything," she lied. She hadn't wanted to come back here. She couldn't bear to look Rob in the eye after what she had done. But she didn't want him going looking for her and running into Austin.

"Then what did he want to see you for?"

God, she wanted to throw up. "He…he just wanted to remind me about my title defense at Unforgiven," she lied again, "that I should do the Alliance proud."

"Really?" he said, not looking convinced. She forced a cheery smile at him, feeling her cheeks strain from the effort.

Rob took her in his arms. "Okay. Since that's sorted, how about we finish what we started?"

Heck no! Her sexual appetite was possibly gone forever after the way Austin had touched her. "You know, I don't feel so good," she mumbled, pulling away. "I think I'm coming down with something." She rubbed her temples and winced for emphasis, and she saw his features soften. He'd bought it.

"Well that's the effect that jackass gives," he murmured acidly. "Come on, I'll take you back to the hotel. We'll just hang out tonight," he said, kissing her nose. "Sound good?"

She looked anywhere but at him. He had become such a sweet guy. Why couldn't he just see her for what she really was? "Sure, why not?"

"Okay. Give me a minute and we'll be on our way."

A fake smile was plastered on her face as he headed into the bathroom, vanishing the moment he disappeared. The severity of what she had done hit her like a speeding car, so hard and so suddenly that she stumbled backwards, sinking blindly into the sofa. Tears burned her eyes as she dug her hands into her blonde hair in utter despair.

_Oh, my God,_ she thought, _what have I done?_


	43. Chapter 43

_**A/N: Again, a big thank you to everyone who reviewed the last chapter. Sorry for the long delay in updating. Writers' block has once again kicked my backside. I take everyone's reviews and messages to heart, so I hope this chapter has met the standard that everyone who has read my stories expects from me. Thank you and much love! Please review! – **_

_**P.S. I made a very significant change towards the end of Chapter 42. You should check it out.**_

_**Chapter 43**_

For the umpteenth time, Carmen raked her fingers through her hair, pacing around the empty hotel room. She felt like screaming. She felt like kicking something, breaking something, preferably Austin's nose. She wished she had done it while she had the chance but that would have only spelled more trouble for both her and Rob Van Dam.

Feeling cramped inside the small room, she longed to be out of there. She looked over at the car keys lying on the small dressing table, and idea popped up in her head. Keys to the car. Money in her wallet. A fucked-up situation with no way out.

Perfect reasons to go get smashed.

With newfound resolve, she grabbed the keys and exited the hotel room. Ivory was off somewhere with Stacy and Torrie but Carmen didn't give a damn, and it wasn't like the raven-haired woman would be back for a while. Carmen drove off in search for a nice place to get a drink. Instead she found a shabby, run down place not unlike the wasteland where she'd undergone that sham of an initiation, but the word "Bar" was a part of its name, so it would definitely serve her in her mission to get as drunk as possible.

She walked into the darkly-lit establishment and slid quietly into the seat. The bartender came up to her. "What'll it be, miss?" he asked, ogling the smoking hot blonde sitting in front of him.

"Scotch on the rocks," Carmen murmured without looking up. He went off, concocting a plan to get her phone number before she left the bar.

Half an hour later, a third drink was in her hand, half empty. Despite the buzzing sensation in her system, Carmen felt as depressed as ever.

How could she have dropped the ball like this? How could she let herself get caught like that? She hadn't realized how visible she had been, how obvious, and after seeing what Austin had shown her on tape, she wondered if anyone else in the Alliance knew about her. Christian did, and that was long before Stone Cold found out.

Or maybe he had known, all this time.

After all, which sane person made that kind of heinous plan on the spur of the moment? Austin had been setting this up from the moment he returned from self-exile and waited for the right time to strike. At face value, Austin was exacting revenge for being humiliated in front of the entire Alliance locker room, but like they both knew, it stemmed back much, much further than just the past two or three weeks.

No matter how talented RVD was, he was no match for Austin, simply because unlike the Bionic Redneck, _he _was of sound mind. As long as Carmen lived, she would never forget the way he had attacked her in the middle of the ring, void of all emotion or mercy. If he could do that to her, what was stopping him from destroying Rob, a man he considered a genuine threat to his hopes of retaining his title? And to satisfy his own selfish interests he was prepared to destroy a few more lives, including hers.

Why couldn't he just leave her alone? Why did he enjoy seeing her suffer so much?

Simple. She had wounded his pride. She had rejected him, _publicly_, and he was retaliating the only way Stone Cold Steve Austin knew how. It wasn't going to be over till he said it was over. Before the Rattlesnake returned to action, she had been warned. Now everything was coming to pass. But it didn't change the fact that it was fucked up.

She needed to talk to somebody, but who could she call and explain herself to without getting an earful, which was probably the best she could expect, really. If this got out to any of the bigwigs at the WWF her career could be in serious jeopardy. Suddenly, Carmen felt very alone, and the feeling sucked ass.

"Drinking at for four o'clock in the afternoon? Now I _know_ you got problems."

The now-familiar, but nonetheless annoying voice prompted her to take another huge gulp of her drink. _He_ was certainly _not_ on that list of potential confidantes. "Go away," Carmen slurred, hiccoughing slightly.

Christian looked over at her, watching the way she devoured the strong drink with reckless ease. "What's the matter? Boyfriend dumped you?"

She was in no mood to make any snide retort. "Austin knows," she said idly, swirling the ice in her drink.

"Knows what?"

Again she dug her fingers into her hair, disheveling her streaked tresses even more. "About _me_."

Christian blinked a couple of times, allowing the words to sink in. Then he cleared his throat. "Oh. Well, can't say I didn't see it coming," he said snootily. "I mean, you _were_ rather sloppy with your so-called secrecy methods…"

"Nice." She glared at him. "If you have nothing better to say why don't you just fuck off? I didn't ask you to sit here."

"Hey, don't take it out on me," Christian smirked. "_You_'re the one who fucked up. Let's face it; you were set up to fuck up."

Gripping her glass hard, she said through gritted teeth, "Say another word and I'ma throw this in your face."

His grin got even wider, satisfied that he was getting under her skin. "You know I'm telling the truth, that's why you're mad."

She'd had enough. "I'm outta here," she muttered. Before she got kicked out of the bar for assault.

Dropping some dollar bills on the table, Carmen climbed off the stool and strode out of the bar, eager to put distance between her and Christian, but he followed her outside. "Why are you mad at me? I didn't do this to you, _you_ did," Christian retorted scathingly. "You knew exactly what you were getting into when you agreed to spy on the Alliance."

"Like it's any of your damn business anyway!" Carmen spat. "In case you didn't know, I'm not the only one doing this! So why am_ I_ the one you find so entertaining? Huh?"

"Maybe it's that incredibly rare breed of naivety that you possess," he replied coolly, stopping her cold. He tilted his head to the side, as if studying her. "Aw, bless your soul. You look so disappointed in yourself. Did you honestly think you could take down the Alliance all by your lonesome?"

"I never said that."

"You didn't have to, babe. You thought you were the shit when you first showed up here. Then you made a show of kicking Lita's ass and winning the Women's title, and people thought you were the real deal, and it got to your head. Obviously not everyone was fooled."

"You know what your problem is?" Carmen pointed at him. "You're jealous. You're envious that I'm doing what you don't have the guts to do!"

Christian stopped and stared at her. And then he laughed. And laughed, and laughed. She'd never felt as little as she did in that instant.

"The Alliance has more power than the WWF could ever dream about!" Christian's voice rose a few decibels as he advanced towards her. "This is two sets of rosters containing some of the best wrestlers on the entire damn planet dominating a puny, withered-down shell of an entity. If anyone has guts around here, it's _me_. I dared to look over the other side of the fence. I liked what I saw and moved on to greener pastures."

Carmen blinked, genuinely worried for the Toronto native. "You're delusional."

"The WWF never stood a chance against us, and neither did you, Carmen! You should have saved yourself the trouble and stayed where you belong with those second-rates instead of trying to play hero. You think you're taking on the bad guys?" He laughed again. "How about looking at the people who sent you here in the first place, like a lamb to the slaughter?"

Beside her, her hands curled into fists. "I think it's pathetic that you need to use me to feel better about yourself."

"This isn't about me, Carmen," he cut her off, getting in her face. "This is about _you_! Get that into that pretty little head of yours that you're no savior. You're just another pair of tits and ass that should be fucked and not heard! You should have just stayed put and continued spreading your legs for the Hardys or whatever else it is you did in your free time-"

Anger tore through the Women's Champion, surging through her body and up her throat, culminating in a scream. Her arms shot out, shoving Christian backwards. "You fucking bastard!" she cried, half-drunk, wild-eyed and braced for a fight.

For a fleeting moment he looked taken aback by her outburst. He then shook his head before turning to walk away, infuriating Carmen even more. "Oh yeah, walk away, turn your back on me, huh?" she yelled, "Like you did to the WWF? To Edge?" She staggered after him, shoving him hard in the back. Christian managed to regain his footing before he fell over, but he spun around, his countenance livid. Carmen sneered like a Cheshire cat, pleased that she'd regained his attention. "Look at you! You're a coward! You were born a coward, and that's why no one takes you seriously. That's why you'll never win _anything _on your own-"

Carmen let out a squeal of fright as Christian grabbed her roughly by the arms before slamming her against the side of her car. She winced as pain shot through her back, but Christian squeezed her tighter, his eyes blazing with fury. "Now listen to me, you bi-"

"Hey!"

Both Christian and Carmen turned in the direction of the voice. The tall, dominating figure of Edge advanced towards them, looking like a rock star in his leather pants and white graphic T-shirt, his long blond hair flowing behind him.

"Is there a problem?" he asked, shoving his sunglasses to the top of his head. His eyes were fixed on his brother, who casually tossed his own long hair back. "Ah," he sneered at Carmen, "your knight in shining armor's here."

"I suggest you let her go, Christian," Edge said calmly.

"And I suggest you get out of my face!" said the younger Canadian. He threw out an arm, with the intention of knocking his brother aside.

Carmen did not know how it happened, but in a blurry burst of movement, she found herself standing behind Edge, with the Intercontinental Champion's hand around the throat of Christian, who was now in the same spot where the blonde woman had been moments ago.

"Touch her again," Edge said, slowly, into his brother's ear, "and you'll regret it. Now walk away."

The look in Christian's eyes was cold and vengeful. Only Edge could hear the next words he spoke. "_She _doesn't care about you!" Christian hissed.

Tense silence followed. Edge then responded in a carefully controlled voice, "Neither do you, _brother_. I won't say it again. Walk away."

Riddled with anger, Christian slapped his brother's arm away. "Both of you," he snarled, pointing at them, "are done for. You and your precious company!"

They both watched him storm away. When Edge turned to her with a questioning look, Carmen's gaze fell to the floor. "He knows," she said quietly, "and so does Stone Cold."

Edge stared hard at her. "You're fucking with me, right? _Austin_ knows?"

Willing the tears back, she nodded, refusing to look at him. Edge continued to gape at her, and for the first time in a long time, Carmen felt uncomfortable around him.

"You need to come back to the WWF," he finally said. "Like right now."

Carmen shook her head immediately. "No. I can't. I just need more time to sort it out."

"Sort _what _out?" Edge countered.

Biting her lip, she ducked her head again and looked away. "Don't worry about it."

"What the-" he started, lost for words. It was obvious that she was not telling him the whole story like she usually did. "Carmen, Stone Cold is gonna fuck you up if you stay any day longer."

But she made no response, and in that brief instant, he understood that something was very wrong. "Carmen, tell me what's going on."

"I can't," she repeated.

"Yes, you can," he insisted, trying to reason with her. "Maybe I can help you."

"No, you can't," she repeated, but Edge wasn't having any of it. He reached out, gently tilting her chin up so that their eyes met. "Try me," he said softly, his eyes full of understanding.

Carmen held his gaze for a few seconds. Then taking a deep breath, she recounted her entire conversation with Stone Cold, damning stipulation and all. The Canadian waited for her to finish before making any comment. "So you're choosing between your loyalties to us and Rob Van Dam," he asked.

His tone was cold, accusing even, making the Women's Champion wince. "I'm not…" she spluttered. She had expected this hostility, but suddenly she was finding it hard to deal with it. "I just want to do what's right, Edge!"

"Right by who? Austin? Van Dam? What about you? What about your _safety_? Isn't that more important?"

Carmen bowed her head sadly. "I'll never be safe until I give Austin what he wants."

"Then fuck Van Dam," Edge answered, "he'll live to fight another day."

"Jesus, Edge!" she gasped, angry. "You want me to hurt him _on purpose_? Do you _honestly_ think I can do something like that?"

"You had no problem doing it to Lita," he pointed out.

Carmen blinked in surprise, unable to believe that he just said that. "That was different."

"You're right. It _was_ different. You were fighting for the title then; you're fighting for so much more now. But you wanna put it all on the line for fucking Van Dam!" he paused, looking right at her. "What's he got on you, Carmen? When did you become his biggest fan?"

"He's a friend, okay?" She turned her head away and sighed deeply, determined to keep her cool and explain her situation. "Look, I want to keep my Championship, I do. But not like this. I can't hurt Rob. He _deserves_ to be in that title match, and I won't take that away from him."

Edge raised his eyes heavenward. He couldn't believe this. "He's got you wrapped around his finger, huh? You think you know him so well, huh?" He sounded bitter, irritated. "Let me ask you this; if he were in your shoes right now, _right now_…what do you think he would he do? Huh? Do you really think that he would sacrifice himself for you like this? Think about it, Carmen."

Carmen grunted scornfully. She would have known that she wouldn't get anywhere with him. "Don't pull that reverse psychology shit with me, Edge. I've made up my mind with what I have to do. I don't need your help, so stay out of this."

She eased past him towards her car, but had barely taken two steps when he said, "I'm guessing neither the Undertaker nor Vince knows about this."

She froze. "What does that mean?"

Edge crossed his arms and shrugged nonchalantly. "Whatever you think it means."

"You gonna tell on me? Huh?" Carmen challenged, whirling around to stare at him with disdain. "Is that what you want to do? Then _go ahead_!" she shouted, spreading her arms. "Knock yourself out!"

"If I have to, I will," Edge said firmly. "I'm not going to watch you throw away your career because of that fucktard."

"Right," she said wryly, walking backwards. So it had come to this. "We've both made your choices then. The moment you go mouthing off to Vince or whoever, just keep in the back of your mind that this will be the last time you and I will ever have anything to say to each other."

She turned back around and climbed into her car. She did not look at him as she drove off, leaving a path of dust in her wake. A multitude of emotions flitted through Edge, mainly disappointment. Carmen had always ridden the dangerous waves, but to be defending Van Dam like this, to the point of even allowing herself to entertain the ridiculous idea of putting him ahead of herself, was mind-boggling. But after watching her closely with the Hardcore champion for so long, Edge was forced to acknowledge the obvious.

Carmen had fallen for Rob Van Dam.

And it broke the Canadian's heart.


	44. Chapter 44

_**A/N: My first "Shattered Rose" update of 2011. Please don't let the reviews dry up, guys! I truly enjoy your feedback! **_

_**To be honest, I wasn't too happy with this chapter. Writer's block is a bitch. I literally concocted this chapter out of thin air. I do hope you guys enjoy it anyway and you let me know about it, as it would really lift my spirits. Peace!**_

* * *

_**Chapter 44**_

"You know, I really wonder what those two keep whispering about," Matt said, looking over his shoulder at Trish Stratus and Edge, who walked several feet behind them as they all made their way towards yet another hotel. The pair talked in hushed tones, their shoulders brushing occasionally as they walked. Though the three surviving Team Xtreme members had become accustomed to seeing this, Matt seemed to be the only one openly bothered about it. "They do it all the time," he was saying, "and have you noticed how they spend so much time together lately?"

Lita made no comment while Jeff rolled his eyes. "Last time I checked, Matt, they're adults," he reminded his brother. "They're free to do whatever they want."

"Well, _someone_ sounds jealous," Matt remarked. Jeff sent him a puzzled look in return. "What? Why would I be?"

"Thought you had a thing for Trish," the dark-haired brother smirked. "And the feeling's mutual, as far as I know."

"Then you don't know shit," Jeff retorted. "Trish and I are friends, nothing more."

Matt snickered. "Right."

"Shut up, Matt."

"Why? I'm telling the truth. We all know there's somethin' goin' on between you two." He turned to Lita beside him for back up. "Right, Lita?"

The moment she heard her name, she stopped suddenly and put up both hands in protest. "Uh-uh, I am _so_ not getting involved with your shit right now." With that she trudged off ahead of them, dragging her belongings with her. "What's her deal?" asked Matt, puzzled.

"The same deal she's been having for weeks," Jeff answered grimly, "winning the Women's title is her number one priority."

"You say that like it's a bad thing," the elder Hardy scoffed, before hurrying off to catch up with his girlfriend. Jeff shook his head. When ambition became an obsession, it _was_ a bad thing.

"You're making a pretty early comeback," Edge remarked to Trish as he followed her into her hotel room. Her cast had come off, and she was hard at work every day regaining her in-ring fitness. But there was no word on exactly when she would be back in the ring. And she wasn't giving much away either.

Trish knew the answers to all of these, and deep down she continued to wonder if she didn't make a mistake by agreeing to go along with Vince McMahon's plan. She wanted to be involved, yes, but not like this. Carmen had learned to trust her through this turmoil they were all enduring, and Trish was days away from betraying that trust. But she forced herself to put it aside and look at the bigger picture. "Well, the doctors have given me the all-clear," she replied, "And I can't wait. I've been _dying_ for some proper action."

Sitting on one of the beds, Edge sent her a gentle smile. "I'm happy for you."

Trish sensed a faint undertone of resignation in his voice. "What's up with you lately?" she asked, going into the bathroom to change into workout clothes. She left the door open a little to continue their talk. Something seemed to be bothering him lately.

With a shrug, he answered, "It's not something I can talk about in the open."

"We're alone," she countered. "So what is it? Is it Carmen?" It always seemed to be about her these days. She could already picture Edge's green eyes growing a little misty at the mention of her name; something that, the Canadian Diva had noticed, always happened whenever the Women's Champion became a topic of discussion.

Pushing his dark glasses over his head, Edge stared down at his hands. "Christian found out about her. And so did Austin."

Trish burst out of the bathroom, startling him. She stared at him in disbelief. "Austin? As in _Steve_ Austin?" She eyed the Intercontinental champion, waiting for him to break into a huge toothy grin and say "gotcha!" or something of the sort. But he didn't even crack a smile. He nodded sadly, his handsome face masked with despair. "It gets worse," he continued. "She doesn't want to leave."

"_What_?" Trish cried. "Is she out of her mind?"

There was a defeated look on his face as he raked his fingers through his long hair. "I don't know what she's doing, Trish," he murmured, more to himself than to Trish. "I don't know what she's thinking; I don't know what's going through her head. Yesterday we literally got into this shouting match outside some bar. I threatened to rat her out and she blew up on me. Now she won't talk to me."

Trish could only gape at her fellow Canadian as he narrated this unbelievable turn of events. She started to say something when the sound of knocking cut into her words.

Lita walked in with her things; evidently the other bed in the room was for her. She was wearing workout clothes. "Hey guys." She looked over at Trish. "We're still going to the gym, right?"

"Of course," replied Trish, smiling brightly. "Go ahead without me, I'll meet you there."

The redhead narrowed her eyes a little, but made no comment. When she shut the door, Trish turned back to Edge. He was looking through his phone. "Taker wants to see me," he murmured.

"Okay. I think you should tell him what you just told me." She got to her feet. "I gotta go. I'll talk to you later."

When Trish left the room, Edge hung his head and sighed deeply. Then, he got up and began to leave when he accidentally kicked Trish's handbag, spilling nearly all of its contents on the floor. Swearing under his breath, he squatted down and began shoveling the items back into the bag, vaguely wondering why chicks always carried so much stuff. He started to stick a folded piece of paper back into the bag when it fluttered open, and some words caught his eye;

_Strictly confidential…_

_Women's Championship…_

_Smackdown…_

Edge frowned in bewilderment. Something told him that it was private and wasn't any of his business and that he was better off not knowing its contents, but he couldn't help himself. He opened it up. It was a memo of some sort to Trish. His eyes scanned over the words, and he froze, his eyebrows coming together in a frown. _No way_, he thought to himself, his frown deepening as he skimmed through the letter again. He sat back on his heels, shaking his head in disbelief.

Suddenly his phone went off again, startling him. Rising to his feet, he took out his Intercontinental championship and placed it on his left shoulder. He stuffed the letter into his back pocket and stalked out of the room, heading towards Taker's. Each step he took felt labored, feeling, not for the first time, like a lamb going to slaughter, but after what he'd just read, the comparison felt so much more ominous. Everyone was supposed to be watching each other's backs. It was starting to look like he was the only one still walking down that road.

He was surprised to see only the Brothers of Destruction and Sara waiting for him. "Where's everybody else?"

"Angle had a meeting with Vince," the Dead Man explained. "Jericho couldn't make it, and considering his newfound obsession with showing up the Rock, we didn't expect him to. You talked to Carmen recently, right? How is she doing?"

Edge glanced round at the expectant gazes, and for a few turbulent seconds, a mini-war raged within him. Should he alert the Dead Man on the impending disaster about to befall the Women's Champion or not? He didn't see why he should protect her. His relationship with her, whatever the hell it had been, had broken down. He had nothing to lose. But Carmen did, in so many more ways imaginable. Among them was the respect of her peers, which Edge knew if she lost, would upset her terribly.

Acting on a whim, the Canadian's expression was calm as he said, "She's doing fine. She's focused and ready for Unforgiven."

Taker crossed his arms, and for a moment, Edge thought that the older man knew he was lying. "No problems from her end?"

He didn't miss a beat. "If there were, she didn't tell me. She was looking pretty confident. I wouldn't worry about her. Besides, she's returning to the WWF after the pay-per-view, right?"

The Undertaker stared at him a while longer, then, seeming satisfied with his answer, he nodded his head. "Good. Keep us informed."

No mention of the memo to Trish. He made to leave the room then turned back around. "Oh, there's something else," he said. "After Unforgiven, I'm pulling out." He patted his title, an involuntary rush of pride filling him as he did. "I wanna concentrate on keeping this."

Since everyone else was looking out for themselves...

Taker chuckled in understanding. "Of course." For some reason he had a look of amusement on his face as he eyed the Canadian.

Fighting the urge to say something unpleasant, Edge strode out of the room. He turned round the corner to find Trish heading in his direction. "Well, how did it go?" she asked, oblivious to the fury that was bubbling in front of her. "Did you tell him?"

Her mouth dropped open in astonishment when Edge stormed past her. "Edge! Where are you going? What's wrong?"

"Why didn't you tell me the truth?" he whirled around so suddenly that Trish bumped into him. "Huh? Why didn't you tell me the real reason you're returning to action so damn quick?"

Taken aback by his outburst, Trish took a step back. "What are you talking about?"

First Carmen, now Trish. What the fuck was it with women and secrets? His eyes never left hers as he reached into his back pocket. He extracted the letter, unfolding it and holding it up toward Trish. "What's this?" he asked.

The anger on her pretty face vanished, giving way to shock, then guilt, then back to anger. She snatched the letter from him and shoved it into her pocket. "What the fuck?" she said irately. "You're snooping around my things now?"

"I'll tell you what it is!" Edge interrupted. "It's a goddamn setup! You and Lita are going to screw Carmen over this week on Smackdown, and everybody in there knows about it!" He thrust his arm in the direction of the Undertaker's room.

"Will you fucking keep your voice _down_?" Trish snapped in a low tone, glancing around. "Lita doesn't even have anything to do with this!"

"But _you_ do!" he argued. "Was this the plan all along; to blindside Carmen at the final hurdle? You know how much that title means to her, Trish!"

"Really? From what you told me she's got other priorities," the petite blonde countered, crossing her arms.

"It doesn't mean she's suddenly become incompetent! She has the right to fight for her title fair and square! She trusts you, Trish, and this is what you're going to do to her!"

Incredulous, Trish made a wild gesture with her arms. "Look around you, Edge! We are in the middle of a goddamn war! The Alliance has over half of the WWF's titles. Forgive us if we're doing everything we can to get them back!"

"Yeah, and that includes ambushing one of your own."

"Oh, put a lid on it, Edge!" Trish scoffed, "This isn't about loyalty or betrayal or whatever, for you is it? This is about Carmen, that's why you got all your panties in a twist. Your feelings for her are clouding your judgment!"

The accusation slammed into the Intercontinental Champion like a lightning bolt. He struggled to find his words, attempting futilely to regain control of the conversation. "That's not true…"

But they both knew Trish knew better. She shook her head slowly, her expression sympathetic. "Face it Edge," she said softly, "she made her choice. She chose RVD over all of us." Her voice dropping to a whisper, she looked up into his eyes. "She chose RVD over you."

Edge's green eyes bored right through hers, his fists clenching at his sides, which did not go unnoticed by Trish. Then, shaking his head he turned his back on her and walked away. Trish let out a breath that she didn't even realize she was holding, nearly draining out all the energy from her body.

"Trish? Is that you? I heard voices over here." Lita approached her, her eyebrows creasing together with concern. "Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, I…" the blonde trailed off, realizing she couldn't say anything further. Running a hand over her face, she walked away, leaving an astonished Lita standing there. As the redhead watched her leave, she found herself giving in to suspicions she had kept well-hidden for a long time.

Something was _definitely_ going on around here.

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_**A/N: Liked it? Hated it? Loved it? Please let me know. After the next chapter, the dilly-dallying will soon end, and the shit will soon begin to go down! Stay tuned!**_


	45. Chapter 45

**_A/N: Thanks a BUNCH to everyone that reviewed the last chapter: SandraSmit19, i luv hardy, NellyLove, Jenna, kgregs and SBMFanatic. Updating is becoming few and far between now, no thanks to work and this pesky bitch called Writer's Block. But I promise you, I am trying to get in as much writing as I can, because it's pretty much the only thing keeping me sane nowadays. _**

**_I'm so happy you all love Carmen. She's my first-ever OC and my little blonde badass baby, and she's more conflicted than ever in this chapter. Check it out! Peace! BRM-UK._**

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**_Chapter 45_**

Three weeks and four days.

It had been three weeks and four days since Carmen won her first-ever WWF Women's Championship, at that emotionally-charged match at SummerSlam. And in that time the blonde high-flyer had accomplished a few things. She had earned the trust of the majority of the Alliance members. It didn't sound like a big deal, but that was as big an achievement as it could be. Though many of them came off as dopey, incompetent shmucks, she knew better. The Alliance members were smarter than they looked and acted. They were ambitious and didn't trust easily. They hated the WWF and its "undeserved" popularity and were hell-bent on destroying the company once and for all. Nobody with that mindset was to be underestimated by any means.

Second, she had learned to see Lita from another perspective. After weeks of watching her redheaded ex-best friend wrestle and giving backstage segments mouthing off about Carmen, for the first time in a long time, the Women's Champion had seen vulnerability and weakness in Lita that she would never have spotted while with Team Xtreme. Carmen then understood why it had taken _her _so long to win the Women's title. As much excitement as she brought to the ring with her high-flying moves and tomboyish dress sense, Carmen's mental element was always a little one-dimensional. Before the Invasion happened, it was always black and white with her. You were either heel or face. Friends were friends and enemies were enemies. Her time with the Alliance had taught her to blur those distinctive lines, exposing the grim reality of gray. Because truthfully, _nothing _was ever as it seemed. She learned that the hard way.

Third, she was in love with Rob Van Dam.

Or was she? She wasn't even sure. Her feelings for him were more intense than she should have allowed. Even when she was with Jeff, it had taken a longer time to develop these feelings because they'd started out as friends. This thing with Rob felt more like an infatuation than anything else. But still, she really liked him.

Which was why, despite his on-and-off behavior as of late, she still wanted to be with him. Which was why this ultimatum by Stone Cold Steve Austin was tearing her apart on the inside.

"Mornin'."

She turned around. Rob leaned against the doorframe leading into the balcony of their hotel room. She'd been there all morning, her black and gold tresses dancing in the light breeze as she gathered her thoughts. He moved towards her and placed his hands on the railing on either side of her. So he was in a good mood, then. He stared into her eyes, and Carmen winced slightly, afraid that maybe, just maybe if he looked long and hard enough, he would somehow discover everything she was hiding from him. There were times where they could have just spent hours looking into each other's eyes without saying a word. This was meant to be one of those times. But now she couldn't even look at his face. Not with the guilt weighing her down.

"Something's on your mind," he pointed out with that laid-back drawl of his.

Where could she start? Austin was on her case. This may be her last week as Women's Champion. Edge was not talking to her anymore. Test was also acting strangely. She missed Jeff and Matt and Lita. The Hardy Boyz had won the WCW Tag Team titles from the Dudleys on Raw, and she hadn't been there to celebrate with them like she had at all their other victories. So yeah, there were a million things running through her mind. She cast her gaze to the side, watching a young couple walking their dog.

"Wanna talk about it?" Rob asked.

_Break up with him_, the little voice in her head commanded her. _Leave now while you have the chance._

_I can't! If I walk, Austin will destroy him. I don't want that!_

_What about _you_? That title you've worked so hard for? If you drop it so tamely you'll be finished as a credible wrestler. No one will take you seriously anymore. And all because of him? He's not worth it!_

_What if I think he is?_

_Then you're deluded. Remember, this whole thing going on between you is based on a big fat lie. What do you think will happen if he finds out whose side you're really on? Think he'll want you anymore?_

The voices in her head continued their duel, and Carmen had to put her hands together to keep from putting them over her ears. But she knew she couldn't keep stalling the inevitable. "Yeah, I do want to talk to you," she finally said, looking up at him. Rob smiled, brushing a strand of her hair away from her face. "Shoot."

_It's now or never, Carmen._ _What's it gonna be?_ "I've been thinking, and I…I think we should go our separate ways for a while."

The look on his face told her that he hadn't been expecting that at all. "Huh?" he asked, rather dumbly, and she fought the urge to roll her eyes. She pushed past him and back into their room, sitting on the bed. "Look, I know that becoming WWF Champion means a lot to you," she went on. "I don't want to do anything to jeopardize that, so maybe we should…" She swallowed hard, forcing the lump back down her throat. This was killing her. "Maybe we should spend some time apart, at least until after Unforgiven."

Rob gaped at her with wide eyes. "What? Why?"

Austin was dangling both their careers on a very thin thread. That was why. "I don't know; we could both use the time to work on strategy for our matches, concentrate on them a little more," she said, sighing when she saw the pissed-off look on his face. There went his good mood. "What's the big deal? It's not like we're dating or anything…"

For a long, tense time, Rob said nothing. Then, "Looks like you've thought about it," he said with a clipped tone of voice. "If that's what you want, I'm not gonna stop you."

With that he walked away from her, heading back to the balcony. She watched him, her heart aching. _You are such a coward_, she chastised herself. _A liar and a coward_.

"I'm going for a walk," she announced abruptly, getting to her feet. Again, no response from him, and she felt the tears pricking at her eyes. With a heavy sigh, she grabbed her Championship and left the room. She walked aimlessly, holding tightly to her belt, acutely aware that this might be one of the last times she would get to hold it like this.

Ahead of her, she heard what sounded like an ongoing scuffle. She wondered what was going on. She turned the corner, in the direction of the noise, and what she found made her wish she never came.

It was Ivory, and someone was on the floor beside her. The raven-haired woman looked up and smiled when she saw Carmen. "Just the Champ I was looking for," she said, sounding a little breathless. "Look what I found."

In that same moment, she picked up the person on the floor by the hair. It was the brilliant red hue of the head that made Carmen's heart drop.

Lita.

Ivory tossed her forwards and down on the floor. Lita landed with an audible "Oof!" and she groaned, clutching her side. Carmen could see that Ivory had inflicted a bit of damage to her former best friend. She knew that Ivory had a bone to pick with Lita but she never guessed she would drag her into it. Ever since Carmen delivered that vicious beating to the redhead on the way to picking up the Women's title, Ivory had this absurdly misguided belief that Carmen was the reincarnation of Chyna. And it was beginning to _seriously_ creep her out.

A helpless Lita eyed her one-time friend with an expression of intense distaste, but one could tell that she had was now more than fully aware of what Carmen was capable of. She had whooped her ass twice. She was weakened and was outnumbered by two to one. Given this ominous situation, nothing was stopping Carmen, if she chose to, from making sure she didn't make it to their match at Unforgiven.

Carmen observed her, her beautiful face expressionless, but still carrying the air of a predator examining its captured prey before it pounced. Ivory watched her young ally with a wicked smile. "What you gonna do, hun?" she goaded, her dark eyes glinting. "All those promos and interviews where she's been spewing her mouth off, berating you; she's been asking for another beat-down. I suggest we give it to her." She sneered. "Remind her who's boss; remind her who the true dominant Diva is around here."

Carmen remained silent. Her head tilted to the side, her blue eyes still fixed on Lita. "I'll take care of her," she said at last, her voice cold, distant.

"Good, let's do this," said Ivory, advancing gleefully, but her malicious countenance dropped to a surprised frown when Carmen thrust her arm out in front of her. "What?"

"I'll handle this myself," Carmen said.

Ivory stared at her. "What? But what about-"

"_I said_," Carmen cut her off, finally looking up at the older woman, "I'll handle this myself," she finished slowly.

The look in her eyes must have been extremely menacing, because Ivory backed off. "Are you sure?" she tried again, grudgingly, like a mountain lion scowling because it had been denied of its prey. Carmen forced herself not to laugh in the raven-haired woman's face. "Positive," she answered, smiling.

Ivory hesitated, glaring at her for a moment, and then Lita, before storming off like a petulant child. Again, Carmen had to hold in her laughter. She watched Ivory leave, making sure she was completely out of sight before turning back to Lita, who watched all of this unfold from the cold floor. She reached down and picked her up by the hair. The redhead bit her lip in pain, limping slightly as she got to her feet. She was still feeling the near-rib-cracking punch Ivory had given her side. Surely Carmen was going to finish the job. She wasn't making it to the pay-per-view.

As soon as Lita was standing erect, Carmen released her. "Go," she whispered, not looking at her.

Still holding her side, Lita frowned at Carmen, certain that her ears had deceived her. "What?"

"You heard me," Carmen said listlessly, "Get outta here."

Lita started to say something, but the words evaporated when Carmen handed her the title. "W-what is this?"

"Hit me," Carmen said.

Lita could only stare at her with newfound confusion. "_What?_"

"Hit me with it," she gestured towards the gold and red belt in the redhead's grasp. "I'll just say Trish jumped me or something. Ivory's gonna come back so hurry up."

Lita narrowed her eyes, not knowing what to make of this. "Look, if this is a joke-"

"It ain't, okay? Just do it, Lita!" Carmen snapped, so viciously that the redhead actually flinched. The anger on her face had disappeared, replaced with uncertainty and even concern. "Carmen, what's going on?"

"Forget about me," Carmen shrugged. "Do what I ask, Lita, or both our sakes. Do it and get outta here. Run, and look guilty as hell."

Her pleading eyes locked with Lita's, who remained still, until she nodded, slowly, hesitantly. Taking one final look at her former best friend, Lita lunged, swinging the belt. It caught the blonde square in the neck and she collapsed to the ground. Damn, she thought dazedly, that was some hit.

The title slipped from Lita's hands, landing on the ground with a loud _CHINK_, and she backed away before spinning on her heel and fleeing the scene. Moments later, Carmen heard the sound of footsteps coming in her direction.

"Carmen?" Ivory dropped to her knees and checked on her fallen comrade. "Oh my God, are you okay? What happened?"

"_Fuck_," she winced. Her neck was throbbing. "Trish jumped me. She helped Lita get away."

"Those bitches," Ivory snarled. "I'll get Stone Cold to book us a match with them on Smackdown. We'll get them, Carmen. I promise we will."

* * *

Ivory was kind enough to escort her back to Rob's hotel room. She would have begged to room with her, but it was already occupied, much to the blonde's chagrin. She now had to find a room for herself. Using her keycard, she creaked open the door, praying that the room was empty.

No such luck. Rob was in the corner, stretching. She could never get over how sexy he looked when he worked out.

_Goddamn it, Carmen!_ She shook her head of the emerging dirty thoughts and crept inside. Again, no such luck. He had seen her walk in, and his dark eyes watched her intently.

"Hey," Carmen began awkwardly. "I was just coming to get my stuff." She moved across the room, but he held her back, peering at her. "What happened to you?" he asked, touching her bruised neck.

"It's nothing," she said, shaking her head. "Lita jumped me is all. Ivory cleaned me up so I'm good."

"Are you sure?"

She started to answer when she realized that his hand was still on her face. And judging by the way he looked at her, it wasn't lost on him either. The concern in his eyes had now been replaced by something else; something she didn't want to see. Her skin constricted into goose bumps underneath his smoldering gaze.

"Yes, I'm fine." Turning away from him, she put her Women's title inside her traveling bag and searched the room for the rest of her things. She could feel his eyes on her, watching her movements, but she ignored him, going about her business. She was packing the last of her belongings when she felt him pull her by the arm again. In annoyance she turned around. "Look, unless you want to help-"

Her words disappeared into Rob's mouth, swallowed up by his fierce, passionate kiss. Carmen wanted to struggle, wanted to break free and walk out of here. That had been the plan after all. But her body rebelled against her. Instead, she was kissing him back; her arms were already entwined around his neck, pulling his body against hers as she returned the kiss. They staggered blindly towards the bed, their clothes falling off with each hurried step.

An hour later, with their naked bodies tangled with the tousled sheets, Carmen watched Rob sleep, wondering how something that felt so right could simultaneously feel like a huge mistake.

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**_A/N: Hey guys. Sorry if this chapter seems a little below par. Let me know how it went for you though? Thanks! From the next chapter things are going to get real intense. Off to work on my Tumblr page now. Peace!_**


	46. Chapter 46

_**A/N: I know, I know. It's been a while. I've been quite busy, to be honest, but I'm very glad I got round to posting this up. I've tried to make this update not to seem like a filler chapter, and I hope I did well. I hope you guys enjoy it.**_

_**I just realized that it's been TEN YEARS since the InVasion angle. Ten! I can't believe it! Time really flies, and I remember all of it like it was yesterday.**_

_**Special thanks to **kgregs, SandraSmit19, NellyLove, Jenna, Estheroxoxo** and **JenAndNate4eva** for the reviews, and also to everyone who alerted and favorited. It's very nice to know that people are still reading this and I thank you all. Please keep reviewing and continue to spread the love. Peace!**_

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_**Chapter 46**_

This was one hell of a dilemma Stephanie McMahon was in.

She was sitting in her office, hands clasped and deep in thought as she recalled that evening, nearly two weeks ago when Austin came up with a plan to bring down Carmen. She remembered how excited she had been. She hated that blonde high-flying bitch more than anyone else on any of the rosters. But something told Stephanie that the Texas Rattlesnake hadn't quite completely filled her in on all the details. Call it instinct, but she knew him better than he thought she did. After all, this was the man she had managed for months as the other half of the infamous Two-Man Power Trip, before her husband's injury ultimately disbanded them. Triple H may be the Cerebral Assassin, but Stone Cold Steve Austin was more cunning, more calculating and more ruthless than Hunter could ever dream of being, and the Bionic Redneck had shown just that in the past several months. Stephanie was a fan of ambitious people; people who did anything for power, for dominance, and brought down anyone who stood in their way without mercy. Austin did all of those things and more. Hell, her own _father_, the most powerful man in wrestling today had barely survived his numerous attacks between '98 and last year, and was being put through hell again by the same man in 2001. When Austin wanted something from you, he got it. And he didn't give a damn about who had to go down for him to get what he wanted.

Like now, with this whole Carmen business. As Stephanie had predicted, Austin had kept a few things from her. He came to her office just over an hour ago and made the confession. But she realized, a little too late, that he had only kept them from her until the right moment, when time would run out for any negotiations and she would have no choice but to agree. And that was exactly what happened.

"_What?" The Billion Dollar Princess gaped at Austin, riddled with utter disbelief when he finished relaying the rest of his plan to her. "Why in the hell did you tell her that, Steve? She'll never do it!"_

"_I can tell you now that's it's gonna happen; on Smackdown tomorrow night."_

_Stephanie was stunned. Something was very wrong. "But I don't understand; what's this got to do with-"_

"_How about you sit your ass down and I'll show ya!"_

_Glaring at him for a moment, she reluctantly did as she was told. Sure, she was glad that she had a chance of actually winning back the Women's title without any effort on her part really, but certainly _not_ at this ludicrous stipulation._

_Austin slid the tape in and it began to roll. He watched Stephanie's pretty features as they twisted with shock and disbelief, his beady blue eyes trained upon her like a voyeur. When the tape stopped, Stephanie swallowed hard, finally understanding the anger that the Alliance Commissioner was feeling, but still fearing the absolute worst. She should have known that Austin would never take something like this lying down. She had to do something, and something fast, because if she didn't, one of the Alliance's best assets would be finished, personally and professionally. "Steve…Steve, listen to me; this isn't about him, okay?" she tried to assure him, "This is about Carmen-"_

"_This has got _everything_ to do with him! No one tries to take my WWF championship from me! You better hope Carmen gets the job done because if she don't, I'm not only going to get his ass fired, I'm gonna beat 'em in the middle of that ring so bad that I will end his career. And I ain't playin' neither."_

_Stephanie's eyes widened with dread. "No," she said, "you can't do that! I need…I mean, _we_ need him in the Alliance; you know that-"_

"_I don't know nothin'," he barked, his tone accusing. "Are you groomin' him to take over from me? Settin' him up to become the number one guy in the Alliance? Ah-ah! It ain't happenin', not when I'm around! Not when I'm breathin'! I'll personally see to that. Either he goes…or I go."_

_Stephanie gaped at him. "You're not asking me to _choose_-"_

"_Oh, I ain't askin' ya, sweetheart; I'm tellin' ya! You're either with me or against me, Stephanie."_

_A long, uncomfortable pause followed as Stephanie bit her lip. She was stuck between the proverbial rock and a hard place. It pained her to say so, but after watching that tape, she was left with no choice. The chips had already laid themselves. Plus – she considered this from a business aspect – in the long run, keeping Austin with the Alliance was of better value to her. He was the biggest draw in the company, and was going to be for quite a long time. And she sure as hell wanted him on her side._

_Austin's eyes were on her, waiting. She sighed with resignation, causing the Rattlesnake to smile, and for the first time, seeing that smile unnerved her._

"_She cares about him, Austin," she said, leaning forwards as she spoke to him, in a last ditch attempt at making him see reason. "What if she doesn't do it? What if this whole thing backfires on all of us?"_

_Austin smiled again, this one more sinister than the last, if that was even possible. "I'm counting on it."_

This one thing was true though. No matter how many people fell, one person was going to fall the hardest of them all. And Stephanie was looking forward to watching the chaos unfold. But first, there was someone she needed to speak to. Someone who had as much stake in all of this as did she; someone who had lost patience in playing second fiddle to Carmen.

Within an hour she was standing right in front of their hotel room door. She knocked several times before she was answered. The door opened, and the ECW co-owner received a skeptic look for a greeting. "Stephanie…to what do I owe this visit?"

Putting on her best serious expression, Stephanie began. "I'll just cut to the chase. We have a problem. The _Alliance_ has a problem. And I'm going to need your help."

"What are you talking about?"

"Your friend, Carmen…she hasn't been very honest with us." For dramatic effect, she looked down both sides of the hallway, as if for fear that she was being watched. "Look, this isn't something I can talk about out here…may I come in?"

The person paused for a long moment, eyes narrowing at Stephanie's words before stepping aside to let her in. "Of course."

As she walked into Ivory's hotel room, Stephanie fought to keep the triumphant smirk off her face.

* * *

This was going to be too easy.

Letting out one final grunt of exertion, Jeff Hardy released his grip on the weight handle, and the heavy iron bars clanked loudly behind him as they returned to their normal stance. He leaned forward, breathing heavily, the sweat streaming down his body. He was exhausted, but not exhausted enough. His mind was running a mile a minute, refusing to rest or focus on anything other than the one person he was not supposed to even think about.

Despite his brother's advice – since when did he start listening to Matt anyway? – Jeff had spent a lot of his time watching Carmen. For a long time now, he had harbored doubts about her defection to the Alliance, ever since that night a few months back, when she looked like she wanted to say something to him before they were interrupted by that douchebag Van Dam. On a number of occasions he had tried to corner her, tried to get her to talk to him somehow, but she always avoided him, and most of the time that asshole was by her side. She would shoot Jeff deathly glares as she passed by, but he never missed the regret that flashed in her blue eyes. So he'd observed her as much as he could, tried to figure his former teammate out from a distance…and right up until the point where she fell in love with Rob Van Dam.

Yes, he knew. He could tell from the way she looked at him; the way she interacted with him, in and out of the ring…Carmen used to look at him that way, once upon a time.

When Jeff began hearing the rumors that Carmen and RVD were item, he refused to believe it. Carmen despised RVD as much as he did. Hell, he'd once overheard her speaking to Lita about the day she caught him eyeballing her and how she hated it. He dismissed their pairing as nothing more than an inconvenience, a forced union. This was Jeff's mindset until a few weeks ago. The rainbow-haired man had been walking aimlessly around the arena during a house show, stewing after yet another pointless argument with his older brother Matt. He'd chosen a nice deserted area backstage hoping to clear his head, attain some sort of peace, something he'd been greatly lacking ever since this Invasion crap started. Jeff had been well on his way to calming down when he heard a noise down the hallway behind him.

His first thought was that someone was following him. It was when he heard the noises again – if he wasn't mistaken, it sounded like a woman in some sort of pain – that the curiosity took over and he went over to investigate. What he found made him regret his decision. Spread over a table inside a small room was Carmen; she was naked from the waist down, her head thrown back and moaning rapturously as Rob Van Dam stood between her legs, thrusting into her again and again. It was a scene right out of the depths of his darkest nightmares. Jeff had quietly walked away from the scene, certain that he was going to be sick.

The high-flyer was long resigned to the fact that what he and Carmen once had was dead and gone. Despite that, he'd promised to be there for her as a friend. That meant supporting whoever she chose to be with romantically. The Alliance member did not under any circumstance fall into that category. He did not deserve Carmen. She was too beautiful, too smart and too classy to be with a scumbag like Rob Van Dam. He was going to hurt her in ways that Jeff couldn't bring himself to imagine. Jeff truly believed she made a mistake falling for him and didn't think he could watch the farce any longer.

So when he heard that he had the chance to take back the Hardcore title tomorrow on Smackdown, the rainbow-haired high-flyer smiled. He had plans for RVD, and none of them were pretty. He was going to put him away once and for all. If that was the only way that he could protect Carmen, so be it.

Still, he planned to enjoy every minute of it.

"Yo, Jeffro!"

His rather sadistic daydream was broken into by the voice of his approaching brother Matt. He was obviously done with his workout on the treadmill. He adjusted the small white towel around his neck and used his free hand to hand Jeff a water bottle. "I'm done. You wanna get outta here?"

Nodding, Jeff got to his feet, following Matt as the two made their way out of the gym, neither of them aware that in less than 24 hours' time, their worlds would be turned upside down.

* * *

_**A/N: Good. Now the boring stuff is over. On to the good stuff. From the next chapter onwards, everything is about to unravel. Please review!**_


	47. Chapter 47

_**A/N: Thanks to**SandraSmit19, Estheroxoxo **and** Noix de Muscade **for the reviews. Only three, though? I'm heartbroken. But I have every intention of completing this story, so to those who are still reading, thank you very much.**_

_**This chapter was a bit of a rush. I wanted to get it over with so I could get to the really good stuff. Enjoy 47!**_

* * *

_**Chapter 47**_

Sitting alone in the Alliance ladies' locker room, already dressed up for battle, Carmen's blue eyes glazed over as she stared at nothing in particular. She couldn't believe that this day had already come. In a matter of hours shit was going to go down, with a lot of it landing on her. The paranoia had already set in; she was certain everyone in the Alliance knew. She felt their eyes on her as she walked down the hallway, glaring at the girl who waltzed into the Alliance, got lots of face time, became Champion and was already sleeping with one of the top guys in the Alliance – all in the space of three months. She tried to tell herself this was not the case, but even she wasn't convinced. Shaking her head, she chuckled to herself. Keeping so many secrets was bound to take its toll. Maybe she was going crazy. Maybe she had stayed on the other side for way too long. She should have crossed back over once she got the belt.

Lost in thought, she didn't hear the door open and Rob come in. "Knew I'd find you here," he said.

She stiffened at the sound of his voice. She had given up on what to do with him. Things between them had soured even more after she'd tried to leave him. To avoid any more suspicion she'd ridden with him to the arena, but took off as soon as they arrived. She couldn't bear to be near him, not after what she was going to have to do.

He took a seat on the bench across from her and bowed his head, lacing his fingers together. When he looked up again, Carmen felt her insides turn to liquid at the look in his eyes. "So, you're doing the hot-and-cold thing again," he began, his voice soft yet firm. "And I'd be lying if I said it's not getting kinda old. The funny thing is, a few months ago I would have said 'fuck it. I don't have time for this chick and all her drama'. But now, I can't. No matter how you treat me, I find myself coming back to you. When it comes to you Carmen, I don't think straight. I can't explain it and it drives me insane. And this thing between us; I still don't know what it is, but I like it. I like the way you make me feel and I'm not ready to walk away from it just yet."

Carmen didn't want to hear any of this. Not just because of how guilty she felt, but because of how strange it all sounded. Rob Van Dam was never one to explain himself. He was a do-first-ask-questions-later kind of guy. It hurt that it was she who had reduced him to this.

Rob sighed heavily. "I know we have to concentrate on Sunday, so I'll let you be. When you're ready to talk about it; after Unforgiven, whenever; I'll be waiting."

She was yet to look at him, but she could feel his eyes on her, could imagine his expressions. She could tell that he wanted to say much more and prayed that he didn't.

Another tense silence followed. "I gotta go. I have a match in five minutes. With Jeff."

She knew he'd mentioned her former teammate's name to get her attention, but Carmen could only bring herself to nod. Rob stared at her for a moment, then, leaning towards her, he pressed his lips to her temple. She kept her head down as he left her alone in the room. Several seconds passed before she moved. Draping her Championship belt over her shoulder she walked out of the room haughtily, holding her head high, refusing to let anyone see the cracks beneath the surface.

"So…it all ends tonight."

Leaning against the wall, Christian fixed his blue eyes upon her. Coming to a halt beside him, Carmen shrugged. "I guess so." She glanced at him and rolled her eyes at his sullen expression. "Oh, don't start feeling sorry for me now," she taunted. "Isn't this what you wanted?"

At her words, the Canadian's features hardened. "Who said I feel sorry for you?" With that, he pushed himself off the wall and marched away. Carmen stared after him angrily. Asshole.

She turned and found Stone Cold Steve Austin staring at her from a distance. She swallowed as his message rippled through her, saying everything he needed to with his eyes.

_Mess up tonight, and you're screwed._

* * *

Jeff Hardy and Rob Van Dam were squaring off for what was probably the thousandth time, but it never got old with the fans. Each match was awesome and they seemed to have developed, if inadvertently, a chemistry in the ring. Both men would probably have acknowledged it too if they didn't hate each other so much.

Stone Cold had joined Jim Ross and Paul Heyman on commentary. He wanted to see his Unforgiven opponent up close for himself; to see what exactly he was going to be up against. Everyone was aware of the hatred between RVD and Austin, and of the possibility of the WWF Champion interfering in the match, but any protest to his presence was wisely muted.

RVD Irish-whipped Jeff into the corner and charged, but Jeff ducked and rolled-up RVD for a pin, but the Hardcore champion kicked out before three. RVD shot to his feet and connected with a spinning heel kick. He went for a split-legged Moonsault but Jeff seized a steel chair and smashed him in the back with it. Crying out in pain, RVD slid off the turnbuckle and crashed into the barricade at ringside. Standing on the apron, Jeff raised the chair in the air and let out a roar, pumping up the crowd before vaulting over the top rope to hit a leg-drop on RVD, but the Hardcore champion rolled away just in time. Both men lay, battered and exhausted outside the ring.

Jim Ross was calling the match. "Which of these two young men will be first to get to their feet? They can lie there all night long and the referee can't do nothin' about it. Count-outs don't matter in Hardcore matches. But we…oh, what the hell? It's the Women's Champion, Carmen! What the hell is _she_ doing here?"

"You know why she's here," Heyman retorted, "she's here to check on her friend, Rob Van Dam! Nothing illegal about that."

"Unfortunately I have to agree with you. Even if Carmen interferes in this match, again, thanks to the rules, there's nothing the referee can do about it. There's no disqualification. This may not bode well for Jeff Hardy."

Austin didn't speak; he was too busy watching the Women's Champion like a hawk.

Carmen looked over at the steel chair lying beside Jeff. Picking it up, she moved towards the fallen combatants. Jeff turned his head and saw the chair in the grasp of his former teammate. He tried to move but he was too weak.

Carmen's countenance was unreadable as she stared Jeff down. Her heartbeat thumped hard in her ears. She didn't even hear the cheers of the fans as Lita rushed down to the ring to even the odds. Austin was at ringside, watching her. She couldn't stop now. She had already gone this far.

Slowly, she stepped over Jeff's body, walking away from him. Locking eyes with Rob, she lifted the steel chair slowly above her head, her heart sinking when he stared at her in surprise. Everybody was confused as they slowly realized that Carmen's focus was not even on Jeff, but on RVD; the man whose side she was supposed to be on; the man she was dating, if the rumors were true. The entire arena waited on bated breath to see if she was really going to lay him out and give Jeff Hardy, her former teammate, the win.

But Carmen made no move. Her hands were shaking, her lip was trembling. The chair suddenly seemed so heavy. Her body was fighting her, telling her not to do this, but she willed herself to go through with it. At least, she would keep her title, and even if he never spoke to her again, Rob would be protected from Austin's wrath.

But this wasn't right. It just _wasn't_. Nothing would change after this. Austin was only using her for his convenience. She would get RVD injured for nothing. Austin would get what he wanted and she would lose what little respect her colleagues had left.

The voices in her head continued to wage war, and soon others joined in, tormenting her with reminders she didn't need.

Edge:_If he were in your shoes right now_…_what do you think he would he do? Huh?_ _Do you really think that he would sacrifice himself for you like this? Think about it, Carmen…_

Ivory: _He's changed, Carmen. That means he must really like you…_

Rob: _This thing between us; I still don't know what it is, but I like it. I like the way you make me feel and I'm not ready to walk away from it just yet..._

Austin: _Take RVD out or I'll do it myself…if I see him still walking at the pay-per-view, you know what I'll do. You think I'm fuckin' around? Try me…_

With a scream, Carmen tossed the chair down at Rob's feet. She spun around and fled back up the ramp, covering her face with her hands. Jeff and Lita watched her leave, then exchanged confused glances with each other.

* * *

Storming down the eerily empty hallway, Carmen angrily wiped away the tears from her eyes. She gasped in pain when she felt someone grab her arm roughly. It was Austin. He had followed her from the commentary booth and he was livid. "Where the hell are you goin'? You think you can just walk away?" he yelled.

"Leave me alone!" she said, snatching her arm out of his grasp.

"We had a deal!"

She stood up to her full height as she faced him. "I changed my mind. The deal's off!"

The look of stunned surprise on Austin's face was absolute, but swift - in the next moment, it had vanished, replaced by his usual snarling countenance. "Now you listen to me ya little bitch; you don't change your mind on Stone Cold Steve Austin-"

"I can't do it, okay?" she snapped, " He doesn't deserve any of this!" She glanced down at the ground, biting on a fingernail. "If I let this happen, I'll never forgive myself."

The Texas Rattlesnake was enraged. "The only person you should be seekin' forgiveness from is me! I told ya what would happen if you backed out! Don't think I won't do it!"

"Fuck you!" Carmen glared at him, "Why didn't you do it yourself, _Champ?_ That's because you're nothing but a coward, and I'm an idiot for ever falling for your idle threats! I'm gonna do us both a favor and end this whole thing right now. I'm coming clean!"

Austin's face couldn't have gotten any redder. "You're bluffin'."

"You think so? Try me! I'll do it. I'll go out there right now and tell Rob _everything_-"

"Everything about what?"

Carmen literally felt her heart stop. She slowly turned around to find Rob standing there. He held onto his left arm as he glared back and forth between Austin and his girl. "Carmen, what is going on?"

The blonde Diva couldn't speak. Her body was rebelling against her, trying to convince her that silence was her best alternative. But in her heart she knew she would never be able to live with herself if she didn't talk now.

Rob could see the guilt written all over her face. His smile was grim as he shook his head. "Fuck this," he muttered, walking away.

"Rob…Rob, wait!" Panicking, she chased after him, leaving Austin alone. The WWF Champion watched them with a sinister smile on his face. He had hoped it would come to this. He had hoped that Carmen would force his hand by defying his orders. And she had played right into his trap.

It was time for Plan B.

* * *

Rob's strides were long, purposeful and angry as he moved, but Carmen kept up with him. "Rob, wait!" she pleaded, "Please let me explain-"

He turned around suddenly, nearly colliding with her in the process. "Fine, explain. You were seconds away from clocking me with that steel chair! I wanna know why! And you and Austin seem to have become pretty close, hmm? Are you fucking him too?"

Carmen's face twisted with shock and disgust. "What? No! Why would you say that?"

"I'm not blind, Carmen! I see the way you look at each other! He's always asking for you all the time, always on your case. Then whenever you come back you have this...this look on your face – like you've done something wrong."

"I _have_ done something wrong, but it's not what you think at all," she replied with a shaky voice. "I've wanted to tell you for a while now." She saw his face creased with anger and hurt, and realized that she had no other choice but to tell the truth. "Austin told me to take you out."

Shock swept across his face, and his mouth moved soundlessly for a few moments as he struggled to find words. All he could make out was "Why?"

Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath, on the verge of uttering the words that would destroy anything she'd ever had with the Hardcore champion. "He found out why I'm really here, the real reason I joined…Rob, I never left the WWF. I've been spying on the Alliance all this time."

She cringed as the color drained from Rob's face, but she forced herself to go on. "I was so so mad when Heyman first teamed us up. You were this obnoxious ass and I thought you would ruin everything. But I manned up and stuck with it. After all, you were Heyman's boy, a goldmine for information; why not use it to my advantage, I thought. But as time passed, I started genuinely enjoying your company. Then we became a lot closer…"

A blush crept along her cheeks as she recalled all the passionate moments they shared together. "Austin saw what was going on between us and decided to use you to blackmail me. He told me if I took you out he wouldn't fire you for associating with a spy. I know I made a mistake agreeing, but I only did it to protect you, I swear. And then…tonight, as I held that steel chair in my hands, prepared to do what Austin asked, I looked into your eyes and I realized I just couldn't do it. I…I care about you, much more than I ever expected to…"

Carmen trailed off when she saw his heartbroken expression, and the tears she'd been holding in finally broke free. "Rob, I'm _so_ sorry," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "I _do_ care about you, I swear! I know I lied to you and kept all this stuff from you, but what you and I have is real. I didn't want to hurt you because you mean so much to me. Everything I did was for you. I know you don't believe me, but it's true."

Rob still hadn't said a word, and the silence stabbed at Carmen's heart like a hot knife. After a minute of no talking, Rob got to his feet, refusing to make eye contact with her. "I gotta go."

"Rob, please!" She was crying openly now but he ignored her, walking out of the room without another word. Carmen went after him, fully prepared to drop to her knees and plead for his forgiveness. But she knew even if she did it would not bring him back. After her revelation, only a miracle could repair this damage. "Rob! Rob, wait!"

But he was gone, disappeared out of her life forever. She covered her face, her body shaking with sobs. She felt a hand on her shoulder and she spun around, still crying, and found herself staring into the green eyes of Edge.

The Intercontinental champion was still smarting from his match, but any pain he felt melted away when he saw her tears. This was their first time meeting since their fight. "Carmen."

She shook her head, pushing past him. That told him everything he needed to know; what she was going to do. "Carmen…baby, you don't have to do this," Edge said softly, taking her face in both his hands. "Don't go out there. Please!"

But she shoved his hands away. "Stop it! I have to go!"

"_No you don't!_ He's not worth it!" he pleaded with her. But she wasn't listening. It was as though she had lost all capacity to think straight. Carmen stared up at him, more tears rolling down her cheeks. "I'm sorry." With that, she slipped past him and hurried away.

"Carmen…Carmen, wait!" Edge called out. He started to follow her, but she had already disappeared round the corner.

"What did she say to you?"

Edge's heart sank as he turned around. Standing behind him were Jeff and Lita.

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_**A/N: Haphazard, I know. But still, please review!**_


	48. Chapter 48

_**A/N: Thank you so much to**Saiyuo12, JenAndNate4Eva, SandraSmit19**and**i luv hardy**for the reviews! I really appreciate it!**_

_**If you thought you'd found out the whole truth in the last chapter, think again. This update will blow your mind. Enjoy!**_

_**By the way, I made changes to the end of chapter 41 and the middle of chapter 42. It doesn't really change the story but sorry anyway! You could check it out if you like.**_

* * *

_**Chapter 48**_

"What did she say, Edge?" Jeff demanded, advancing slowly, gingerly. His body was battered and tired, but his eyes were accusing, fueled with suspicion thanks to the exchange he'd just witnessed. "I saw how the two of you were just now; obviously you know something that we don't."

Like a deer caught in the headlights, Edge stared at Jeff and Lita, at a loss for words. He wasn't surprised by Jeff's inquisition. He knew how the scene had looked. He had been caught liaising with the woman who was supposed to be their enemy, after all. And not just that; it looked like it was definitely not their first time of making contact with each other. Still, he couldn't bring himself to answer.

His hesitation confirmed Jeff's suspicions. His green eyes narrowed. "How long have you been talking to her?"

The blond Canadian shook his head. "Jeff, man-"

"_How long_, _Edge_?"

"Dude, I can't tell you that."

"That's right, you can't! So do not say another word."

The two Team Xtreme members whirled around. Lita's eyes widened at the petite blonde woman that joined them. "_Trish_?"

But Trish paid no attention to her. Her angry brown eyes were still fixed on her compatriot. "Don't say anything to them. You're not supposed to."

At her commanding tone, the Intercontinental champion felt his blood boil. Who the hell did she think she was? He knew very well that Trish was more concerned about covering her own ass, concealing her own damaging part in the "Bring-Down-The-Alliance operation" which to Edge, was turning out to be nothing more than a sham. Trish, Vince, the Undertaker…they were all just as bad as the Alliance was. The only difference was that those guys didn't try to hide it. Here, everyone was playing each other, all in the name of the good of the WWF. Edge had done some underhanded things in his young career, but at least _his_intentions were on always on full display. He refused to be a part of it any longer. No one was looking out for Carmen anymore. Hell, _Carmen_ wasn't even looking out for herself. So why bother anymore?

Nah, he'd made the right decision pulling out. He was done with this shit. "I'll say whatever the hell I want, Trish. You don't control me. Not you, not Taker, nobody!"

Trish stepped closer to Edge. "Keep your mouth shut-"

"Or what? You'll get Taker and Kane to beat me up?" Edge moved forward, towering over Trish easily.

"Okay, can someone tell us what the hell is going on?" Lita asked. Matt had joined his brother and girlfriend now. He looked confused by the face-off between Trish and Edge.

Trish didn't budge, but she glared up at her fellow Canadian, her gaze challenging, almost daring him to say something wrong. Edge found himself smiling wryly. He was never one to turn down a dare.

"I'll tell you what's going on." And with that, he proceeded to tell Matt, Jeff and Lita everything, from the plan to infiltrate the Alliance and Carmen's defection, to all the parties involved in the conspiracy and Trish's plan to interfere in the Women's title match on Sunday.

Standing by helplessly, Trish's jaw clenched and unclenched, looking like she wanted to hit the Intercontinental Champion. Matt gaped at him before bursting into cynical laughter. "Oh come on now! None of you believe all of that, do you?" He looked round at all of them, amazed by their silence. "_Do you?_"

"I believe you," said Jeff, looking at Edge. Matt raised an eyebrow in surprise. "You're kidding, right Jeff?"

"So do I."

Everyone was stunned as they turned to Lita. Matt stared at her like she had two heads. "_What?_ Babe, are you serious?"

Lita didn't look up as she pushed her red hair out of her face. "The other day at the hotel, Ivory and I got into a fight. Carmen sent her away and then let me go. I didn't understand what she was doing, but I saw the look in her eyes, like she was apologizing for everything."

"I told you," said Jeff, glancing back and forth between his brother and his redheaded friend. His emerald eyes flickered in triumph. "I told you both."

Lita snapped her head to the side, leveling Trish with a fierce look. "And _you_…so that's why you've been so buddy-buddy with me."

Horrified, Trish shook her head rapidly. If she didn't salvage the situation right now she'd be on the receiving end of a very severe beating indeed. "That's not true, Lita! I only agreed so we could protect the Women's Championship. We needed to make sure it came back to the WWF no matter what."

"Who the hell is 'we'? That's bullshit and you know it. But I'll deal with you later." Lita turned to the Hardys. "Guys, we have to help her!"

"No problem," Jeff replied without hesitation.

"It's too late. She's already in the ring," Edge said sadly, pointing at the TV monitor nearby.

* * *

Carmen made her way dejectedly towards the ring; no usual taunts towards the fans, just trudged all the way with her Women's title on her shoulder, her only friend left in the world.

And by the end of the night, that would be gone, too.

She could sense the confusion of the fans, wondering why she was coming down with no music. She needed Stephanie to come out now so they could get this over with already.

The sound of glass shattering burst through the arena, and Austin walked out to the top of the ramp. "I want everyone in this damn building to give it up for the WWF Women's Champion, Carmen!"

As Carmen gave a tight smile, her mind raced as to what his true intentions were. He wasn't supposed to be out here. Unless he decided he wanted a front-row seat to witness her being stripped of her dignity.

"Ya see," he said, talking to the fans. "I got sick and tired of this little bitch flapping her gums, constantly disparaging me, always questioning my authority, and it made me think about a lot of things. It made me think more about her. And thinking about her made me do a little snooping around, a little investigating of my own, and it turns out that all my doubts and suspicions were right on the money."

With his eyes glinting, he pointed at her.

"_Carmen is the mole!_"

Carmen bit her lip as the fans roared. Great. Now the whole world knew about it. Could they get this over with already? Why prolong the humiliation?

Because, she realized with dismay, it was all part and parcel of Stone Cold's plan. She was now his personal toy and wasn't going to stop until she was humiliated beyond redemption.

The same clips he'd shown her privately now popped up on the Titantron. As they watched, the crowd gasped in disbelief, but a few sighs of relief were heard around, ecstatic that their beloved Team Xtreme had not disintegrated after all.

"Unfortunately Carmen, you ain't the only one around here with a dirty little secret. It turns out that people in my own camp, people in the _Alliance_, are secretly plotting to take my title from me. But it turned out, Carmen, that you were thrown into the bargain."

Carmen narrowed her eyes, temporarily forgetting her current situation. What was this maniac talking about this time?

"I thought it was only right that you see this, Carmen," Austin continued with a smirk, "I'll be first to admit, I've done some despicable things myself in this life. But I don't think I ever did anything like this. Take a look and tell me what you think, how about that?"

The screen flickered for a moment, and then it focused again. Rob was in Paul Heyman's office and he was seething. She remembered his outfit as the one he wore the day she just arrived at the Alliance.

"_That little bitch," Rob said angrily, slamming his hands on the table, "Who the fuck does she think she is, talking to me that way? Who brought her into the Alliance? Was it your idea?"_

"_Look, calm down-" Heyman tried to placate him._

"_I will_not_calm down. That bitch needs to be put in her place! I'm a former ECW champion! What is she? Another pair of tits that talks. She thinks she's hot shit because she wears baggy pants and hits some aerial moves? Bullshit!"_

_Heyman smirked as he watched his most prized asset continue his rant. "If you asked me, I think you're just pissed because she's not impressed by you."_

_RVD snorted. "What? And she's impressed by that rainbow-haired freak she's probably fucking? She's a bitch, that's all it is."_

"_She's a sexy bitch, I gotta give that to her," said Heyman, rolling his eyes when Rob shot him a dirty look. "What? She is."_

"_Please," Rob scoffed, "there's nothing special about her. I can get any girl I want. I snap my fingers and they come running."_

"_Oh, really? Any one at any time?"_

_Rob smiled smugly. "Any time and_every _time. They always fall for that romantic shit, you know? Carmen may be a bitch, but she's a_girl _in the end. She ain't different."_

_One could practically see the wheels turning in Heyman's head. "Wanna put your money where your mouth is?" he asked._

_Rob raised a curious eyebrow. "What are you talking about?"_

_The portly man then leaned forward, a knowing smirk on his face. "How quickly do you think you can get into Carmen's pants?"_

"_What? Like a bet?" Rob asked, looking disgusted. "Oh, hell no!"_

"_Why not?" asked Heyman. "Is Miss extreme Blondie too much of a challenge for the great RVD?" _

"_Yeah right," RVD scoffed._

"_So what's the problem?"_

"_Nothing, it's just…why the fuck are you looking at me like that?" Rob leaned back and crossed his arms. "It's just…I'm not going to do it without something being in it for me. Something big."_

_Heyman smiled and rubbed his hands together. "Name your price, then."_

"_I get Carmen in bed," Rob placed his finger on the table, as if putting his point across. "You put me in the main event…at Unforgiven."_

_Heyman blinked. "What, you mean for the WWF title?"_

"_A straight out bye. No need for qualifications or matches, nothing. Get me right in to face the Champion."_

"_But Unforgiven is in two months."_

_Rob knew exactly what his boss was insinuating, and his smile widened. "Yes, she will be _my_ sexy bitch by then."_

"_You're gonna have to tape it," Heyman said. When Rob raised an eyebrow, he added defensively, "how the hell am I gonna know you held up your end of the agreement? I'm not a pervert!"_

"_Fine. But you'll destroy the tape immediately. No evidence."_

"_Consider it done. So we have a deal?" Heyman held out his hand, which Rob shook, both men smiling lasciviously. "You just watch me work my magic, Paul. She'll be begging me to marry her by the time this is over."_

"_Good. Soon we'll find out if Carmen's the frosty bitch she likes to think she is. Get in her pants before Unforgiven, and you'll become the number one contender for the WWF Championship."_

The men shook hands, and then the screen went black.

Heyman sat sheepishly in his position at the announcer's table, with JR glaring at him with disgust. "Asshole! Asshole!" chants rang loudly around the arena directed towards the ECW co-owner. Carmen's eyes swam with tears. To say that she was utterly and comprehensively humiliated was the understatement of the new millennium. Of course; _of fucking course_! It all made so much sense now; Rob's relentless pursuit of her, everything he had done and said to her; all because he wanted the WWF title and at the expense of her dignity. He never saw her as anything other than a means to an end, just like she had him, at one point in time. But even she could never have done something like this to her worst enemy.

Austin could not keep from grinning at the look of blank shock on her face. "Now first things first," he continued. "I don't give a damn if he's injured; as of tonight, Rob Van Dam is barred from contending for the WWF title indefinitely!"

The audience seemed too stunned by what they had watched to either boo or cheer. "And I'm not done with ya, Carmen. You see, there's been a change on the card tonight. I'm putting you in a match right now. I talked with Stephanie and she decided to need a better challenge than her to let you warm up a lil' bit for Sunday night. It should be easy for ya since this lady is someone you know very, very well."

Ivory's entrance music sounded, and Carmen groaned. Shit. So this was the real plan. She never was facing Stephanie McMahon tonight. Her mentor – well, former mentor – stormed down towards the ring, a thunderous look on her face. Carmen threw her belt aside. This was not going to be pretty.

But Ivory did not attack. She merely entered the ring and made no further movement. She smiled a baleful smile that sent chills down Carmen's spine. The younger woman had grown to learn that Ivory only smiled like that when she had something sinister up her sleeve, like that ambush on Lita a few days back. Gasps and shouts of alarm rang around the arena as the fans pointed towards the entrance. Carmen looked up and her stomach lurched.

Coming down the ramp were Lance Storm, Rhyno and the Dudleys, Booker T, Justin Credible, Raven and Billy Kidman, among others. Instinctively she took a step back. Frenzied yells from another group of fans prompted her to look to her left, and she cursed under her breath. Hugh Morrus, Chavo Guerrero and Sean O'Haire emerged through the crowd and were climbing over the barrier towards the ring. Diamond Dallas Page and Kanyon brought up the rear, standing in front of the announce table. She whirled slowly, cautiously around in the same spot as the Alliance began to advance, their eyes fixed on her like carnivores closing in on their prey.

A startled yelp left her throat as she got dragged down to the canvas by Ivory in a roll-up pin attempt, completely catching her out. The WCW ref Nick Patrick, whom Carmen realized too late was privy to the whole thing, hit the mat three times with his palm, ending the match. Carmen was no longer the Women's Champion.

Ivory took the belt and disappeared among the approaching Alliance men, and it finally dawned on Carmen what was going on.

She was smack in the middle of a set-up; trapped, alone in the center of the ring, surrounded by massive, bloodthirsty males goaded by Austin and Stephanie to teach her a lesson. Carmen's mind raced as she looked around for an escape route, coming to a conclusion that there was only one way out, and she was going to use it.

She exited the ring with lightning speed, nearly running into the announcers' table in the process. Kanyon got to her first, but she acted quickly. She grabbed a steel chair and smashed it on his head, eliciting excited screams from the fans. She did not wait to watch him collapse. She leapt over the barricade into the stands, barely missing DDP's wild swipe, and ran for her life. The fans immediately parted way for her, cheering her on as she sprinted up the stairs and towards her escape.

* * *

_**A/N: What did you think? Please review?**_


	49. Chapter 49

**_A/N: I feel like I'm losing steam with this story, but I'm doing my damndest to make it as good as it deserves to be. Work is top priority at the moment so updating gets a little harder each time._**

**_Special thanks to _**_SandraSmit19, Straight Edge Queen, JenAndNate4Eva **and** the anonymous reviewer **for the feedback. I'm actually surprised people are still reading this. It's really nice to know. Thanks, guys.**_

* * *

**_Chapter 49_**

The three members of Team Xtreme along with Edge and Trish watched the RVD-Heyman video in stunned silence, unable to believe what they were watching. Edge's hands were clenched into fists by his sides. His features displayed everything he couldn't bring himself to say. Jeff bore a similar expression to the Canadian's; his green eyes were glazed over, his body shaking with anger.

All of a sudden Jeff rushed out of the locker room, running towards an unknown destination. The remaining four stood frozen in shock for a moment before tearing after him. At first they thought he was heading for the ring until he stopped suddenly in front of a locker room. He burst through the door, and the Brothers of Destruction and Sara were inside, also watching the mayhem unfold.

On seeing the Dead Man, Jeff snarled, baring his teeth. He lunged at the Undertaker, but Matt and Edge grabbed him before he could reach him. "Jeff, stop!" shouted Lita, casting a weary glance at the Undertaker and Kane, who immediately stepped forward to protect his older brother and sister-in-law. He looked prepared to pummel the Cameron native into the ground if need be.

"You fucker!" the rainbow-haired man yelled, pointing at the Texas-born veteran. "_You_ did this! _You_ got her into this mess!"

"Carmen wasn't forced to do anything," said Taker, coming to step beside Kane. "We talked to her, and she agreed."

"Bullshit! You knew she would never back down from this kind of challenge! You sent her on a suicide mission! And you, Kane…" Jeff turned on the Big Red Machine, his handsome face like thunder, "I can't believe you stood by and did nothing! She likes you. She trusts you, and this is how you repay her!"

Kane stiffened at the harsh words, but no movement came from the Big Red Machine except the clenching of his gloved fists. But the new Hardcore champion wasn't finished with his rant. Jeff faced the Undertaker again. "What the fuck did Team Xtreme do to you? Why couldn't you find someone else to join your little club?"

"Now is not the time to play the blame game, guys," said Sara. "We need to help her!"

"Oh, _now_ you want to help her," Lita retorted, crossing her arms in anger. "When the damage has been done, huh?"

They heard a sound coming from the door. Everyone inside the room fell silent, their eyes fixed on the door as the sounds continued. Before anyone could react, it had ended. After what felt like an eternity, Jeff was first to move. Rushing to the door, he yanked on the handle. "Shit!" he cried out, rattling the door harder. "Fuckin' hell! Come on!"

Edge was by his side in an instant, pulling to no avail. Trish realized with dismay what had happened.

"They've locked us in!"

The WWF hallway echoed with the frantic rattling of several locker room doors, all of them locked from the outside. Shane McMahon stood at the end of that same hallway holding no less than six keys. He glanced at the trash can beside him. Whistling casually, he dropped all the keys inside and skulked away.

* * *

Carmen was outside the arena, certain that she had lost her pursuers, but even more certain that she herself was lost. She didn't even know how she got there, or how she was going to get back, and she never recalled running this fast in her life, but at least she had put some distance between herself and the Alliance members. She had to leave the arena, and fast.

"Hey! There she is! Over there!"

Booker T had spotted her.

She started off in the opposite direction, but ran into the brick wall that was Bubba Ray Dudley. She ricocheted off him, like a ball would against a wall, and hit the ground hard, getting the wind knocked out of her. Before she could even regain her bearings, Bubba Ray hoisted her up by her hair. "Where do you think you're going?" he snarled, throwing her back to the ground. Carmen screamed as a sudden rush of intense pain tore through her spine. Kanyon stood over her holding a steel chair, and he slammed it again and again on her back until the chair warped. The others proceeded to kick her and stomp on her, laughing as she cried out in pain.

The melee ceased abruptly when Stone Cold Steve Austin stepped into the circle that had gathered around the battered Carmen. Rhyno had her on her knees, holding a fistful of her streaked blonde hair. He cocked his head to the side, leering as she dangled helplessly in Rhyno's hold, clawing weakly at his strong, painful grip. Looking over at the Man-Beast, Austin said;

"Let her go."

"What?" Kanyon spluttered in indignant surprise, "you're just gonna let her go?"

There was a wicked smile on the Rattlesnake's face. "Hell no. Give her to me. We got unfinished business."

Rhyno released her, pushing her roughly towards Austin. She collapsed at his feet in a heap. Austin pulled her to a kneeling position, bringing their faces close. Acting on instinct, Carmen jerked away, but Austin grabbed her back. "Not so tough now, are ya?" he snarled, "Ya ain't so badass now, huh? Look at me!"

In an act of defiance Carmen refused, keeping her head down, and this served to further annoy Austin. Grabbing her chin he forcefully twisted her head to face him, making her wince. "I said look at me, ya little bitch!"

Carmen bit her lip, forced to meet his eyes. She knew a long time ago that she wouldn't walk away from this unscathed. She watched as Austin licked his lips, looking her up and down in a manner that made her skin crawl. Shoving his face close to hers, he whispered in her ear, making sure only she could hear him. "Look what you've made me do, huh? You could have ended this a long time ago. All I ever wanted out of you was a half-decent fuck. Get on your back, spread your legs for me, end of story. But you had to be so dramatic, didn't ya? Then you try to mess with my team, and you thought I wouldn't come after ya? You're just a glutton for punishment, ain't ya, sweetheart?

"Now, I'm gonna give you one more chance to end this. I know you ain't got no problem giving it up. So it's pretty simple. Give me what I want, and all of this will be over."

For a long time Carmen made no indication that she had even heard a thing Austin said. Then, slowly, she lifted her head. The fatigue and pain that were in the blonde Diva's eyes moments ago were replaced with revulsion and hatred, all of it directed towards the Texas Rattlesnake. Rising slowly to her feet, she looked him right in the eyes.

Then she did the unthinkable. She spit in his face.

The Alliance wrestlers crowed excitedly. Carmen continued to glare at Austin, defiance surging through her veins. She knew what was coming, but she would not go down with a whimper.

Austin went into a manic rage. Displaying the one-fingered salute to her, he delivered a devastating Stunner to great cheers from the Alliance members. Her head nearly cracked open against the cold concrete ground, and she lay there limply at Austin's feet. "This is what happens when you mess with me!" Austin barked as he circled Carmen's mangled frame like a ravenous vulture. "Hear me, Vince McMahon? This is what happens when you mess with the Alliance! Watch what I'm gonna do to her! Her blood will be on _your_ hands, McMahon!"

Austin yanked her back to her feet and dragged her around like a ragdoll. For all he cared she might have been unconscious. When she was standing steady enough, he moved out of the way. "Get her!" he roared.

Rhyno charged, and in that very moment, Carmen saw her life flash before her eyes.

* * *

The wrestling world watched in horror as Carmen was Gored nearly twenty feet below into the debris by the Man-Beast. Every moment of the attack was played out on the Titantron to millions of mortified fans. Jim Ross was shrieking like a madman. Even Paul Heyman looked appalled.

In their respective locker rooms, Stephanie cackled like a witch. Sara sobbed uncontrollably into her husband's chest. Lita screamed at the TV. Trish was frozen and speechless, her eyes shining with tears. Jeff fell to his knees, his hands on his head. The WWF could only look on as one of their own got martyred before their very eyes.

With glazed eyes, Rob stared blankly at the TV screen. Everything Austin had done tonight had just been one big set-up. But none of this would have happened if he himself hadn't been so callous and so selfish. There wasn't enough time in his lifetime to regret the repercussions of tonight's actions.

He wasn't supposed to watch. He was supposed to be out there, stopping the madness. But he was not. He could not. Not only did they outnumber him by at least fifteen to one, he was hurt. And then Rhyno speared her, right off the side of the building, the near-three-hundred-pound man tearing through her beautiful body.

The bile rose up his throat faster than he could stop it. He barely made it to the bathroom. He threw up into the sink, his tears mixing with the vomit. He sank to the floor in anguish, covering his face in his hands as he cried. Carmen was probably dead.

And it was all his fault.

* * *

By the time the door was broken down, it was too late to save Carmen. Team Xtreme, the Brothers of Destruction and Sara, accompanied by a medic, scoured the outside of the building searching for Carmen. On reaching the scene where Rhyno had gored her, she was nowhere to be found. Lita ran closer, whirling around searching for her friend. "Where _is_ she?" she shrieked, near hysteria. "Where the hell did they take her?"

Tears spilled down Sara's eyes again, clutching the Undertaker, who cursed like a sailor. Kane leaned his head against the wall in frustration. Jeff just stood there stiffly, as if moving any more would cause him some sort of serious internal bleeding. The hopelessness he was feeling at that very moment engulfed him, making it difficult to breathe.

Suddenly, his phone rang shrilly, tearing him away from his thoughts. It was a number he did not recognize. "Hardy," he answered weakly. His voice was shaking, worn-down, but impatient.

"Go to St. Luke's General Hospital right now."

Jeff's breath caught in his throat. "Who the hell is this?" he snarled, gripping the phone so hard that his knuckles turned white. His mind strained to figure out the owner of this mysterious voice, which was digitally distorted.

"The only person who knows where Carmen is."

"Now you listen to me, you son of a bitch!" Jeff said fiercely into the phone, pointing accusingly at the air in front of him, as if the caller was standing right there. "You tell me what you've done with Carmen right now, or I'll hunt you down and kill you, you hear me?"

Undertaker and Kane heard his rant and immediately appeared by his side, looking around to see if they could catch the caller hiding in a corner somewhere.

"Forget about me!" the other voice said irritably. "She's in bad shape. Find _her_ before the Alliance does, or they'll finish off what they started!"

The line went off. Jeff stared at his phone like it was alive.

"Who was that?" Lita asked him anxiously, gripping his shoulder. "I don't know," Jeff said vaguely, shaking his head. "The voice was altered…" his eyes grew wide as he recalled the caller's words, "She…she's alive…the Gore didn't kill her…"

"What?" Lita asked, slightly stunned.

"What did he say about Carmen?" asked Sara. Jeff turned to her, not really seeing anything at all. "She's at Saint Luke's General. He said she's in bad shape, but she's alive."

Sara breathed a grateful sigh of relief. Lita's eyes went as wide as Jeff's. "Alive…" she whispered.

Undertaker could only nod his head in complete surprise. Alive? Damn it, that Carmen was one tough fucking cookie. Very few people would have survived the _beating _let alone the twenty-foot-high fall. He turned to the medic that had followed them. "You know where Saint Luke's is?"

The medic nodded and gave them the details. They got to the hospital within the hour. A Dr. Wentworth was waiting for them. He informed them that Carmen had already been wheeled in for treatment. She had suffered a serious head injury, a broken leg and broken ribs. Her condition depended on the outcome of the surgery. Had she not been brought in at the time she was, he said gravely, the situation could have been much, much worse.

"Did you see who brought her here?" asked Sara. They all waited tensely for his answer.

The doctor shook his head. "No. No, I'm afraid not. He never left his name either."

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**_A/N: Intense, right? Please review._**


	50. Chapter 50

_**A/N: Sorry for the delay in updating! Trying to work on my stories one by one and update them.**_

_**Thank you all so much to** SandraSmit19, sweetortonlover86, Straight Edge Queen, JenAndNate4Eva, TheMysticGK, xHalosandwings **and** the anonymous reviewer**. I don't think I've gotten this many reviews in a single chapter for this story. Thanks again guys! You're awesome! Enjoy chapter 50.**_

* * *

_**Chapter 50**_

The message the Alliance had sent to the wrestling world was clear and emphatic. Nothing was going to ruin their ambition of running the WWF into the ground. Nobody was above being brutalized, and they willing to demonstrate that fact some more. This terrifying fact registered deep in the consciousness of the fans and they watched, holding collective breath as the chess pieces were thrown aside and all pretenses of civility were fragmented. The war raged on with no signs of stopping.

Stone Cold Steve Austin took great pride in the part he played in the "Carmen Lynching", as the infamous incident was now being called. He publicly blamed the WWF for being so naïve as to stake the future of their women's division on an overly emotional amateur like Carmen. He also ridiculed Vince McMahon for backing such a foolish idea. The WWF's plans had failed. It was now a question of when, not if, the company was going to fold. He sent out a message to Carmen. He said that despite everything that had happened, the Alliance was willing to welcome her back into their fold with open arms. The WWF betrayed her and sent her like a lamb to slaughter. They had thrown her into the deep end of the pool by getting involved in their plots and schemes. Had the WWF protected her, he reasoned, she would never have been in the situation she was in; humiliated, beaten up and now, fighting for her life in whichever hospital she was currently in. Carmen was not the first WWF employee to fall by Vince McMahon's hand, and she, Stone Cold Steve Austin promised, was not going to be the last.

In the passing days, Vince McMahon arranged security in front of Carmen's hospital room and planted decoys in the other surrounding hospitals, just in case the Alliance decided they were indeed not through with her. At Jeff's insistence, the WWF superstars visited the hospital in secret. He took the mystery caller very seriously. No one was going to come near Carmen if he had his way.

But there was worrying news coming from the hospital. Twenty-four hours had gone by, and Carmen was still not awake.

* * *

"How long is she going to be like this?" Jeff asked for the hundredth time, crossing his arms as he watched Carmen from the foot of her bed. Matt and Lita joined him at her bedside, and the three Team Xtreme members kept looking anxiously for any sign that their teammate was going to wake up. It was yet to come. The room was quiet except for the beeping sounds coming from the machines attached to the blonde woman. Matt twisted around uncomfortably in his seat. The seats the hospital provided for visitors didn't quite suit his larger frame.

"This is still the Undertaker's fault," Jeff finally broke the uncomfortable silence in the room, his voice as hard as stone. "I don't care what anybody else says. I blame him for this."

"Carmen made the choice to defect," said Matt. "You heard what Taker said-"

"He's probably lying!" argued Jeff, "for all we care he didn't tell us the whole story. He'd say anything to cover his ass…"

"Cover his ass from whom? _Us_?" Matt chuckled. "Come on, bro."

Jeff shook his head slowly, running his hands through his blond hair. "I don't understand. She had nothing to prove. Nothing! She's one of the best, one of the most popular women in wrestling history."

"But she didn't have the title, Jeff," Lita spoke for the first time. Her voice was quiet, thoughtful. "Carmen was never the Women's Champion, and she didn't win it until she distanced herself from us. She may have gone to spy on the Alliance, but winning the Women's Championship on her own was her real motive."

She looked over at the two brothers, who seemed to be hanging onto her every word. "I remember my second title win, after she joined us," Lita continued. "She was happy for me, but I saw the way she kept eyeing that Championship when she thought I wasn't looking. I could see it eating away at her; the fact that she was yet to taste it, how every time she was put in a match involving me, she never quite reached the finish line. She was too loyal to challenge me while we were still a team. I was standing in her way. She needed to go solo and this was a perfect opportunity. She never betrayed us. It was just something that she needed to do."

"And look where it got her. In a hospital bed," Jeff said, his tone tense and bitter as Matt nodded sadly beside him.

"Come on, guys!" Lita snapped. "What about you? Huh? All those ladder matches, Hardcore matches, TLC matches that landed you two in hospital every goddamn month? Wasn't it worth it, knowing that you'd be wearing the Tag Team titles around your waists?" When the boys said nothing, she shrugged. "Exactly. I've thought about this, guys, and I've thought about it real hard; I'd probably have done the same thing if I were in Carmen's shoes."

Both brothers stared at her in shock. "What…Lita, do you really mean that?"

The redhead responded with a firm nod. "I know what it feels like to take a backseat to other people. I was in ECW once, remember? Francine and Beulah were the top female draws, the dominating ladies. They were great to me, but I joined that company to win things, to make a name for myself. So I left. I came to the WWF, and I walked away from Essa Rios, not just because I fell in love with somebody else-" she reached for Matt's hand and gently squeezed; Matt smiled and winked affectionately in response, "-but because Essa was holding me back from reaching my goal. Carmen's always been ambitious. I'm glad she went for it because honestly, you never know when such an opportunity will knock again. She believed in herself, but she also believed in the WWF, and she took a bigger risk than any of us could have dreamed of to prove it."

Lita returned her attention to the bed and gently stroked Carmen's hand. "And for that I respect her more than I ever have before," she finished in a soft voice.

Letting out a heavy sigh, Matt leaned forwards in his chair and bowed his head, linking his fingers on the top of his head. "The way I treated her," he said in a trembling voice. "I clotheslined her, hit her in the face…I made her _bleed_, for God's sake-"

"Yeah, you did. But that's in the past now," Lita assured him, rubbing his arm. She could feel Jeff's intense gaze upon them both; he was yet to fully forgive his brother for that incident. "You can make it up to her when she wakes up."

Matt looked up at his girlfriend. Turning back to the bed, looking into Carmen's face, he nodded, slowly but resolutely. "Yeah, when she wakes up."

* * *

Edge quietly entered the hospital room. He had had to grow an extra set of balls to make his demand that the Undertaker let him see Carmen. The American Badass gave him permission, but gave him the short and sweet version of her condition in a tone that pretty much told him to never speak to him the way he did again. But when he walked in and saw her in that bed surrounded by tubes and machines, he went pale. It was the first time he was seeing her since…since…

He couldn't even bring himself to say it. It made him sick just thinking about it. He would never forget what happened on Smackdown in a million years. He'd thought the Gore had killed her, let alone the twenty-foot fall, yet here she was, still breathing, still fighting to stay alive.

As quietly as he could, he pulled up a chair beside the bed. "Hey, Carmen." His voice came out in a tiny squeak, startling him. He cleared his throat, searching for what else to say. If someone told him just a couple of months ago that he would be able to stay in a room with a Team Xtreme member without fighting or verbally abusing them, he'd have laughed right in their face. But here he sat keeping vigil by Carmen's bedside, worried sick. His enemies were now his allies. Months ago his own flesh and blood turned on him. Nothing was hard to believe these days.

"Those things look pretty uncomfortable," he quipped, gesturing to the tube stuck up her nose, and the several other wires that held her in place. That held the key to her survival. Edge watched her with a mix of concern and longing. He ached to touch her, but she looked so damned fragile he was afraid she might break if he did. Her beautiful face was smattered with violet bruises. A bandage was wrapped around her head, concealing all of her blonde hair.

The WWF had sent out a simple message of its own; seek and destroy. After the situation was explained by Vince and the Undertaker to the rest of the locker room, the entire World Wrestling Federation roster took the gloves off. Jeff Hardy was on a rampage, tearing everyone affiliated with ECW and WCW apart, during matches, backstage, at parking lots and hotel lobbies; no one and nowhere was safe. Matt, Edge, the Brothers of Destruction and the APA were his chief partners in crime. Lita, Trish and Jackie assisted the guys in any way they could. They were out to avenge Carmen. Nobody messed with one of their own, no matter whom it was or what they had done.

Unable to help himself, Edge reached for her, taking her little, limp hand and clasping it in both of his. It was cold. "I'm sorry, Carmen. I'm so, so sorry," he whispered, tears climbing up his throat. "I'm sorry I didn't fight harder for you. I'm sorry we argued, it was so, so stupid and senseless. If I could turn back time and change everything, I would. Hell, if I could take your place right now I would."

He _was_ sorry. And he was riddled with guilt, because he could have stopped this from happening to her on many occasions. He could have protected her more. Heck, he should have taken her away from the arena that night, even if it meant tossing her over his shoulder and carrying her out of there. At least she would be out of harm's way and not in this horrible bed and hooked up to these horrible machines. His laugh came out more like a sniffle. "You know you never needed to do any of this. You never needed to prove yourself to anybody. Everybody knows how amazing you are, in and out of the ring. _I _know how amazing you are. I just wish I told you; maybe, just maybe, you wouldn't have agreed to do any of this. Maybe you wouldn't be here."

He stopped his obvious rambling to take a deep, ragged breath to calm himself. Seeing her like this...hell, talking like this, like she was on the verge of death, was heartbreaking. He pressed his lips to the back of her hand and held it against his cheek. "You're gonna be just fine, Carmen, you hear me?" He leaned closer and stared at her face. He couldn't get over just how beautiful she was, even without any make-up and covered in bandages. "You're going to wake up, and you're going to get out of here and return to the WWF and wrestle for that Women's Championship again, and you're gonna win it back." His voice cracked, and he forced himself not to give in to his tears. "I won't let you just leave. I can't. Not this way. Not just yet, okay? You can't; not when I just started getting to know you..."

Even scarier was that in the process of getting to know Carmen, something else happened to the Intercontinental champion. Something that had been completely out of his control, and that in itself scared him beyond reasoning.

He fell in love with her.

Admitting it to himself had been the hardest thing he'd ever done. At first he had tried to convince himself that it wasn't the case. And even if it was, she was still affiliated with his arch-enemies, the Hardys. But then he got involved in this Anti-Alliance thing, which he realized he only agreed to because _she_ was involved. Slowly, he forgot all about any bad blood between them. He kept watching her matches and his texts to her stopped being work-related. He just wanted to hear her voice, longed to see that smile that always caused his stomach to do flip-flops. She was his very first thought in the morning and his last at night. It was so obvious that even Trish had seen it. And his feelings weren't going away anytime soon. But he wasn't sure he wanted those words out in the air just yet. He could wait, because he sincerely believed she would pull out of this. And maybe, just maybe, he would have the courage to finally tell her exactly how he felt.

The anger crept back into him. He wanted to kill Rhyno, his former friend, for goring her. He wanted to kill Austin, and every one of them that had laid a hand on her that night. He wanted to kill Rob Van Dam for not seeing the gem that he had possessed all these months. He wanted to kill Paul Heyman for planting the seeds that reaped her humiliation. He wanted to kill Vince McMahon and the Undertaker for getting her into this mess in the first fucking place. But getting angry amounted to nothing in situations like this. He had to hope and pray that she woke up, that she recovered from this. She had to.

He didn't know what he would do if she didn't.

* * *

_**Please review.**_


	51. Chapter 51

**_A/N: I know it's been a long time since I last updated. Sorry! Thanks to _**_SandraSmit19, Straight Edge Queen, xHalosandwings** and **i luv hardy** for the awesome reviews. Thank you guys from the bottom of my heart. Please keep reading and reviewing!**_

**_Enjoy the update!_**

* * *

**_Chapter 51_**

When Carmen finally opened her eyes, the nurse was the only witness, and she rushed off to get the Doctor.

Dr. Wentworth put Carmen under a quick series of tests, after which he left, promising to answer any questions she had when he returned. She was left alone with the memories of that night; _four _nights ago, according to Dr. Wentworth. She remembered everything and they played vividly in her head. The RVD-Heyman video, Ivory, the beatings; Austin hitting her with the Stunner…

Rhyno coming at her like a raging bull.

Wincing at the painful memory, she looked down and was relieved to see her legs were still intact. However, the left one had been put in a cast. Her ribs still hurt, and so did her head, but she was breathing well enough. Groggily she surveyed the room, vaguely wondering if she'd been out for just four days. The number of flowers and cards that littered the room suggested longer. They were from friends, from colleagues and fans, all of which warmed her heart. Two boxes of her favorite chocolates were on her bedside table. Suddenly she felt very hungry and she reached for them.

Dr. Wentworth returned, and Carmen jerked her hand away like a child caught stealing a cookie. What if she wasn't supposed to eat anything until he was done running his tests? He was wearing a surgical mask, scrubs and gloves and carrying another box of candy. She looked closer at him and realized it wasn't Dr. Wentworth. This dude was taller, bigger. Maybe he was new, or even worse, a trainee. The last thing she wanted was an inexperienced doctor. Wentworth did just fine.

Only it wasn't even a doctor at all. The mask came off, and there stood Christian.

"Hello Carmen."

Fear? Shock? Panic? She wasn't sure which one hit her first but they all surged through her. She struggled to sit up in her bed. He was here to finish the job, surely. She felt too weak to scream, and she was helpless attached to all these damned wires. Where the hell was security? Not taking her eyes off Christian, her fingers slowly crept towards the buzzer beside her bed.

But Christian shook his head. "I'm not here to hurt you, Carmen. I came to check on you. I thought it was only right seeing as I brought you here."

She sat up even straighter, unable to believe her ears. "_You _brought me here? You _rescued _me?"

He didn't answer. He dropped the box of chocolates he'd been holding onto the bedside table, and Carmen eyed them like they were poisonous. "Calm down. I'm not here to hurt you," repeated Christian. "Trust me; if I did, you wouldn't be here."

Though she wasn't fully convinced, she relaxed a little. She picked up a copy of the new WWF magazine a fan had given to her and opened it up. "So what are you doing here?"

"Well, I figured you could do with an update," said Christian, looking amused. "Everyone's talking about what happened to you. The fans think we're despicable. It's an all-out war now between the WWF and the Alliance now, and by the looks of things, the Alliance is winning."

"So you're really here to gloat, then?" She turned another page and was greeted with a full-page spread of Rob Van Dam. Anything Christian was saying lost her attention as she looked into the eyes of the man who had betrayed and humiliated her. There was a sudden pang in her chest, almost making her wince. She tossed the magazine aside, took one of the fans' cards and opened it, trying to rid her mind of _him_.

Christian had watched the entire moment unfold. "Forget about him, Carmen," he said, actually having the decency to look and sound serious. "He's a douchebag who didn't deserve you."

The blonde woman's eyes flashed with anger, but she said nothing. She had no intention of talking about that asshole with Christian, or with anyone else for that matter. "Why did you do it?" she asked, changing the subject. "Why did you bring me here? You could have left me for dead."

"If that's your way of saying thank you-"

"Forgive me if I don't want to be indebted to you, Christian," she interrupted, visibly peeved by the thought. "Why did you do save me?"

The Canadian leaned against the wall, crossing his arms. "Because it was the right thing to do. I'm not as heartless as you think."

"This coming from the guy who laid out his own brother with a steel chair," she retorted.

"I did what I had to do at the time," he explained, his tone devoid of remorse. "Edge will always be my brother. But the fact was he was in the way of my success." Blue eyes bored upon blue eyes. He knew she knew exactly what he was talking about. "Team Xtreme was holding _you _back, too. You knew that deep down. You'd never have agreed to move if it didn't cross your mind. You were given a chance to stand out on your own and you took it. You could have turned it down, but that meant staying in Lita's shadow for a little while longer. And now you're the hottest commodity in wrestling right now."

Shaking her head, she looked at Christian with a bemused expression. Everything felt so surreal. She wanted to go home, back to Atlanta and away from all this madness. "I'm not a superhero, Christian. Obviously you can tell. But you're right. I don't regret making the choice to defect. The WWF is my home. If someone is threatening foreclosure, I have to stand up and do what I can to make sure it doesn't happen. Wouldn't you?" This was supposed to be the story of a disillusioned, egomaniacal semi-rookie with delusions of grandeur that was brought crashing down to the earth. But it was more than that. It always was more than that, and with this realization Christian and Carmen were finally able to understand each other.

"This business means very much to us," he told her quietly, sincerely.

Looking up at the Canadian, Carmen nodded with a small smile. "It does, doesn't it? That's why we do what we do. That's why we work so hard."

"But some things…or rather, some _people_…are more important than this business, Carmen," Christian said, "and that's the real reason I saved you that night. I may have realized it too late, but like they always say; better late than never."

A look of confusion crossed her features as she tried to grasp his statement. "What are you talking about?"

Christian smirked, reaching for the doorknob. "It's not exactly my place to say. But hopefully, you'll be allowed to figure it out soon."

And he was gone.

* * *

Half an hour later, the nurse came to check on her. "Your friends gave Dr. Wentworth a call," she informed her. "They've been allowed to come see you, and they say they'll be here in a couple of hours or so."

Clearly she was clueless about Christian's intrusion earlier in the day. "Uh, which of my friends?" Carmen had to ask. For all she cared it could have been Alliance members. She couldn't risk that. "What do they look like?"

"The lady with red hair, a dark, muscular man and...his brother, I think? The one with the strange multi-colored hair. They're the ones coming to visit."

Carmen smiled. "Thank you." She lay back down on the bed, feeling rather tired. She wanted to be awake when Matt, Jeff and Lita came, but she guessed she could rest her eyes for a little while.

Moments later, she jerked awake. Turning her head at the clock, her eyes widened slightly. An hour and a half had already gone by. She hadn't even realized she had fallen asleep. She looked to her left and gasped with fright at the huge man sitting quietly in the corner, watching her. "Sorry," he said, "didn't mean to scare you."

"Well, you did." She broke into a relieved smile. "I'm an invalid, you know."

Test didn't seem to find the joke funny and instead continued to frown at her. "So you're alive."

"Uh…yeah." She raised an eyebrow, slightly uncomfortably at his strange behavior, but jokingly added, "What, is that a problem for you?"

"Yes, because I was hoping you'd be dead."

Startled by his response, Carmen looked right at him. "Excuse me?"

"Or at least incapacitated, but no matter. I'm going to finish the job."

"What job? What are you talking about?"

"You think you were the only one with a secret mission? While you were gallivanting with RVD, I was proving my worth to Stephanie. What better way to do that than handing you over to the wolves?"

Test got to his feet, and Carmen's eyes grew wide, partly because she'd never really realized how tall he was. "What? I don't understand."

But Test's buck-toothed smirk merely widened. "Who do you think told Austin where to find the tapes he showed you? I used to know your every move at one point when we started out at the Alliance, remember? I volunteered to join the Alliance for my own personal reasons. But the Undertaker told me to keep an eye on you, and I was incensed. You were nothing but a distraction, a self-centered, cock-blocking little brat. I've never been able to stand you, not since you became a WWF employee. I hoped you'd get caught early, or someone else would get the job done. I just had to show you concern every now and then so I wouldn't blow my cover."

Carmen gaped at him, stunned and disturbed by this revelation.

"And Austin, that pussy. He had a million chances to finish you off and he didn't, even when you provoked him. You slapped him at the restaurant, and there I was, certain he was going to give you a Stunner right then and there, and he didn't. After what happened with Angle I thought he'd finally gone soft, until a couple of days ago."

So he did follow her and Rob to the restaurant that night. She knew it. "I don't understand," Carmen said again, "How could you want anything to do with Stephanie after everything put you through? Wasn't it just two years ago she pretended she was drugged and forced to be married to Triple H just so she could get away from you?"

"Shut up!" he yelled so loudly that she jumped. "You weren't even around when it happened, so don't sit there and act like you know everything! I love her and she loves me. She doesn't care about Triple H or Rob or whoever she's running around with. When the dust is settled and the WWF is wiped off the face of the earth, I'll take my rightful place at her side. I listened to you run your mouth and berate her and insult her, and I made a vow to shut you up for good."

Carmen stared at him, genuinely lost for words. Where was this coming from? When did Test become this deluded? Had he always hated her this much?

"It was all perfectly planned out! You were supposed to be badly hurt from that fall! What was it, twenty feet?! Why can't you just stay down? Huh? _Why?_" Test raged, clenching his fists. It was then that the panic began to well up within Carmen. Test had lost his mind, and there was no one else around to bear the brunt of his madness except her, and she was helpless. She could barely move. She had to do something and something fast. "You don't have to do this, Test," she whispered, looking imploringly at him.

"No. This is my only chance to get what I want, and nothing will stop me this time. It's nothing personal. Stephanie wants you gone. I'm doing what I have to do."

"And after that?" said Carmen, sliding her fingers underneath her blanket as calmly and subtly as she could towards the nurse's buzzer. She had to keep him talking and hope he wouldn't notice. "After you take me out? Do you really think she's going to take you back? And even if she does, what about when Hunter returns? Do you really think she'll stay with you? She doesn't love you, Test. She's using you again, just like she's using Shane, Heyman, Austin, Van Dam and everyone else in the Alliance. Why can't you see that?"

She edged her fingers closer. She was almost there. All she needed to do was push it-

"What are you doing?" Test growled. Yanking the blanket aside, he found her hand pressed down on the buzzer. Test's face reddened with rage, and Carmen could fight her terror no longer. "Please don't do this, Test! Please!"

"You bitch!" He yanked the pillow from underneath her. Her head bounced up into the air and crashed back onto the bed with a sick thud. Suddenly the pillow mashed her face, covering her in smothering darkness, and she couldn't breathe.

"Get off me! Get off me!" she screamed, but her voice was muffled. She grabbed his wrists and dug her nails into his arm, but Test only pressed down harder. His face was manic, reddening with the effort he was using to snuff Carmen out. She tried as hard as she could to knock the big Canadian off her but to no avail. Her casted leg was too heavy to kick him with. Test leaned over her, pressing all of his weight down. Choking on her own tears, she could feel her lungs burning the rest of her body into submission. She wanted so badly to stop fighting him, but she knew what would happen if she did. Her struggle lessened, and the helpless young woman was moments away from giving in to the darkness.

Suddenly she felt the stifling pressure loosen, and then disappear entirely. Instinct took over, and leaning over the bed she clutched her throat, coughing violently, willing precious oxygen back into her system. She heard her name being called, and a pair of warm hands cupped her face and lifted her head. She looked up into a pair of familiar hazel eyes. Lita leaned over her, concern etched upon her pretty face. "Are you okay, Car?" she asked.

Carmen managed a nod, still trying to regain her breathing. Jeff stood close by her other side, one arm wrapped protectively around her shoulder. The blonde followed their disdainful gazes out the door, and as she watched Matt, the Undertaker and Kane pummel the shit out of Test in the hallway all she could think about was what in the hell had happened to her former comrade.

* * *

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